Gallery In Review: The Leonard Street Gallery
Hoxton, EC2 London, UK
By George O'Dell

With the emergence of Street Art in the past few years, to the art markets, several galleries now cater to the movement. Some deal in an artists’ work, while others devote their entire schedule to supporting underground and street artists in their gallery life. One gallery that supports international underground and street artists n London is The Leonard Street Gallery. Open since June 2006, it is the source for original works by Matt Small, Judith Supine, and deals in work by Elbow-toe, Swoon, Bast, along with other emerging underground and street artists. Unlike other galleries who may deal in Street Art artists, Leonard Street Gallery is committed to promoting shows that present this art movement in a way that highlights its creative aspirations.

The Leonard Street Gallery is located near the Old Street tube station in East London, not far from the bars of Hoxton and other prominent London art establishments. The gallery fits seamlessly into the community as the work shown inside can also be found outside, painted on buildings, stuck to signs, and anywhere else deemed appealing and appropriate for an artist’s work. The use of material from the urban environment is seen inside the gallery, when artists choose to work on found materials rather than canvas. This was the case in the recent solo show featuring British artist Matt Small. Small used found materials to paint his portraits of urban youth.

Presenting underground art to a growing fan base of collectors and admirers has also given the gallery a chance to participate more with the art community, exposing London viewers to artists that they might otherwise never hear of. The gallery hosts evening demonstrations and talks with artists who are currently showing and use the basement level of the gallery for film screenings and functions. These functions allow fans of the art another look and newcomers to experience a taste of what’s going on.

With the rise in success of street art in the art market, the plan for the Leonard Street Gallery seems to be to keep doing what they’ve always done: supporting artists who want to be successful, but at the same time remember the ethos that got them where they are. Their audience was first captivated by what they accomplished on the street and that it was in this setting their fan base was created. To stop working in the street and work only within the gallery would seem to be a form of snubbing that which made them famous. Everybody wants to be successful at what they do, but there is a difference between success and selling out. This is a difference that The

The Leonard Street Gallery has an ongoing schedule of solo and group shows. The next show, opening December 15th – January 11th, “Permission to Paint” features the work of Herakut in collaboration with Luc Price and exhibiting works which mix traditional and spray grafitti techniques, in an installation on and off the canvas.

George O'Dell

Print version