With the prices of exhibition space often sky high across the city it is perhaps no suprise that new venues are beginning to be found and often within the most unlikely of places.
Studio 189 is one such spot. By day a studio apartment a short walk from the newly gentrified area of London’s Kings Cross but by night, or at least every now and then, a place that transforms itself into a glamourous soiree venue for art lovers to meet.
The brainchild of friends Sabina Andron and Fay Trier, it presents a new opportunity to experience art in an intimate, social setting. We’ve featured Sabina on Inspring City before, last year as she curated her debut show at the Curious Duke Gallery. That exhibition was the culmination of a number of years work building up the popular art meet up group ‘I know what I like‘ and featured a number of artists from the group itself.
Now, the inagural exhibition at Studio 189 represents another first. The ‘Spring Ball’ will feature works curated by ‘I Know What I Like’ as part of what’s been dubbed as an exlusive erotic art viewing. Artists such as Sonia P. Sanchez Lopez, Julia Bellamy, Femke van Geffen, Héloïse Delègue and Santiago Torres will be on show with works including painting, photography, drawing and collage. According to the promotional literature for the event it will either “seduce us viewers, or hold alternative mirrors in front of our desires, sexualities and emotional experiences.”
Live music from mezzo-soprano Adriana Festeu and guitarist Raj Curry will also be entertaining revellers from the balcony of the walled city garden and a spoken word performance read by Alex Woodhall and written by Michael Clarke will also be given.
For Studio 189 it represents a bold entry into the world of what they describe as ‘private high-end soirees of art, music and spoken word’. As an alternative to the gallery system and offering an altogether different viewing experience it’s going to be interesting to see just how this ambitious project takes shape.
‘Spring Ball’, the inaugural exhibiton at Studio 189 takes places on 25 April 2015, is ticketed and costs £30 which includes complimentary drinks and canapés, an exhibition catalogue, 10% discount on any of the artworks on display and a goodie bag. For more information check out the Studio 189 website. Inspiring City visited Studio 189 on Wednesday 8 April 2015 to see how preparations for the event were coming along.
Studio 189 Gallery
