It is a perilous time for galleries in London—and beyond. So, to coincide with the inaugural edition of London Gallery Weekend, we are setting out to explore the real impact of the pandemic on London’s galleries and the steps they are taking to survive.
Many see diversification as the key to making a post-pandemic recovery: shifting online, foregoing physical spaces and launching publishing arms. But has the pandemic really forged a new path for galleries, or did it simply accelerate pre-existing ones?
As we emerge from lockdown, we hope to help chart a recovery plan for the truly unpredictable future of the art world.
The panel will be moderated by Louisa Buck, The Art Newspaper's contemporary art correspondent. It is sponsored by Crozier.
Thursday 3 June, 4pm BST/11am ET on Zoom
Meet the panellists:
Sadie Coles Photo: Jack Andrew Davison. © Sadie Coles, courtesy Sadie Coles HQ.
Sadie Coles, Sadie Coles HQ, London
Sadie Coles opened her London-based gallery in April 1997 and it now exists over three galleries in central London. The gallery represents around 50 established and emerging international artists. The inaugural exhibition of new paintings by John Currin was shown in parallel with an offsite show by British artist Sarah Lucas and in recent years younger artists such as Martine Syms, Helen Marten and Alvaro Barrington have joined the programme.
Bomi Odufunade © Bomi Odufunade
Bomi Odufunade, Goodman Gallery, London
Bomi Odufunade is a director at Goodman Gallery, an international contemporary art gallery with locations in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London. The gallery has a global programme working with prominent and emerging international artists whose work engages in a dialogue with African and post-colonial contexts. Prior to joining Goodman, Odufunade co-founded Dash & Rallo, an art advisory specialising in contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. With over two decades of experience in the arts, she also held roles at publisher Thames & Hudson, Tate Modern and Haunch of Venison gallery in the UK.
Jeremy Epstein Image: © Jeremy Epstein
Jeremy Epstein, Edel Assanti, London
Jeremy Epstein co-founded Edel Assanti in 2010 with Charlie Fellowes. Established in London, Edel Assanti represents artists whose practices engage with the social realities of the moment in which they live. Jeremy sat on Tate’s Acquisitions Committee and holds an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art where he has subsequently lectured. In 2021 Jeremy co-founded London Gallery Weekend in collaboration with a community of contemporary London galleries.
The Art Newspaper is an official media partner of London Gallery Weekend. Read The Art Newspaper's guide to London Gallery Weekend here