While works of art were once created for the ages, to be preserved eternally through the mists of time, one London gallery is this week turning the old saw on its head with a week-long programme of “temporary art”. To celebrate its first birthday, the Chalton Gallery in Somers Town is hosting a different exhibition every night of this week, culminating in a full day’s programme of live performances on Saturday and a specially-curated online show on Sunday. Gallery founder Javier Calderon says, “I hope that these activities make us think a bit more about the notion of ‘the contemporary’ vs. ‘the temporary’.”
Calderon founded the Chalton Gallery in the summer of 2015 as a place “to showcase the work of Mexican and UK-based artists.” He tells The Quietus, “I think that there are many interesting artists that deserve to be shown in the UK so we are working with several artists from different generations. On the other hand we also have a project in México so we have been curating exhibitions of British artists in México as well as organising residencies in collaboration with various institutions. So the idea is also to give opportunity to British artists in México.”
Before founding the gallery, Calderon curated shows at independent spaces in México and briefly ran a programme of live art at the Tin Tabernacle in Kilburn. Since opening the Chalton Gallery, he has hosted many exhibitions including one dedicated to Mexican video art pioneer Pola Weiss and, most recently Manchester-born artist Rebecca Lennon whose work involved commissioning a rug specially weaved for the show in México alongside what Calderon describes as a “magnificent video installation.”
The Gallery’s birthday celebrations have already kicked off on Monday and continues throughout the week, from 6pm till 10 each day. Wednesday brings Loddy Facsun Iggis, a solo show by Richard Niman. Thursday presents a group show My Own Private Idaho with works by Harry Appleyard, Zehra Arslan, Josefin Arnell, and others. Friday brings Happy Birthday featuring Uliana Patina, Henry Coleman, and more. While Saturday offers up Chalton Live, an all-day event of live performances, in the gallery and on the street, with Olga Koroleva, Simone Rowat, Yoni Silver, Steve Noble, Charlotte Wendylaw, and much, much more, 12 noon onwards.
Temporary Art is at the Chalton Gallery until 10 July
