An Inteview with The Smallest Gallery in Soho
People often tell me I should open a gallery, but running a gallery is hard. It involves a lot of time, effort and stress to secure an artist, put on and promote each show. And that’s something you need to do at least six times a year to chase wildly fluctuating sales in an inflation-riddled economy so that you can cover the only sure thing in the industry: rent. It’s incredibly challenging, but gallerists Andreia Costa and Philip Levine have come up with an ingenious way to simplify the equation.
Back in 2016, while walking down Dean Street after dinner with friends, they made an ad hoc comment about a space being used as a bike shed. One of those friends happened to be one of the founding partners of The Garage Soho, who hold the space and agreed that a more cultural use would be a far more worthwhile investment. Which is essentially how a former retail shop window was rechristened in 2017 as The Smallest Gallery in Soho. Though technically it never ‘opened’ because it’s not a gallery that you can physically enter, it is lit which means it might be the only central London gallery that’s ‘open’ 24/7 for locals, tourists and random people passing by to spend as much or as little time as they like looking in through the window at the art inside.
Now in it’s eighth year, Andreia fondly reminisces how it “started as a passion project for the two of us. Something to do together over the weekends. A creative outlet.” The use of the space has been given to them by The Garage Soho without a commercial purpose. Generously removing what is arguably one of, if not the, largest concerns for any physical gallery.
Their website describes it as ‘A small space, with big ideas’ and Philip elaborates by saying it’s “essentially a site specific space to display art. We display art for anyone, to be viewed from the street. You never have to go in.” Although I have been inside and can attest that it’s larger than it looks from the pavement, providing artists with plenty of flexibility and creative opportunity. During the lockdowns Annya Sand occupied the space to do live painting. Svetlana Ochkovskaya then filled the space with thousands of seashells, out of which emerged a human-sized seashell man. It’s currently occupied by two freestanding brick walls, housing a dozen #BRICKFLATS. The challenge is finding the right artists.
Unlike a traditional gallery model, they have no roster. However, the prestige of being shown, and exposure to the masses of creatives and art lovers that frequently meander through Soho, means that the gallery receives interest from far more artists than they can accommodate. Philip says they “enjoy being contacted and working with them to come up with a proposal” which allows him and Andreia to focus their time where it matters most: developing really inspiring ideas and then making them happen.
I first learned about the gallery during the lockdowns, when it gained a lot of press for being one of the few cultural things you could still do while adhering to the strict social distance guidelines. I went to see it on one of my daily walks and have been fascinated by the gallery ever since. It was obvious that the gallery wasn’t commercial, but once I leaned that Andreia and Philip maintain demanding day jobs and are also new parents, my curiosity went into overdrive. I wanted to know how and why they keep it going and what were their plans for the future.
Regarding both its origin and ongoing purpose, Andreia discusses their “desire to keep a hand in the creative industries” which is somewhat ironic since she’s an architect and Philip, now a Charity Director, began as an artist and creative producer. But I get it. Those types of careers are inherently in the service of someone else’s vision, whereas the gallery is their own. They choose which artists to show, they work hard to ensure the displays meet their expectations, and sometimes they “just have to go in the gallery with the artist and give some TLC.” Or as Andreia puts it, “the gallery was our first baby.”
I ask how they gauge success but Philip readily admits that’s difficult to assess. “The answer is, I don’t really know. But when we get people feeding back to us directly, it’s lovely to hear. If a lot of people are talking about it, you know you’re doing something very wonderful.” He then jokes that they “haven’t been kicked out in 7 years. That’s a good sign!” There’s a lot to be said for longevity. Andreia goes on to say that “Sometimes it’s very painful, and sometimes it’s enjoyable. It’s a passion project…” but they “really enjoy the process of working with the artists. That for us is our biggest reward.”
What becomes super clear to me throughout our chats is how much Andreia and Philip truly love doing this. Being a good gallerist is more than a hobby, but they’ve found an ingenious way to ensure they can fit it in around their full-time commitments. It’s certainly a challenge, especially with young family obligations, but neither laments the effort it takes. Maybe that’s why I’m reluctant to ask about the future, since it seems like they have a good thing going just as it is. Philip says that is indeed something that they’ve learned to appreciate. He tells me they once had visions of expanding the concept to different cities but “it hasn’t evolved to that.” Becoming a family turned out to be more than enough expansion for the moment. Sometimes brands bloom, and sometimes brands stay just as they are and everything works out just fine. Philip comments “What doesn’t need fixing…” then trails off into thought, leaving me to wonder if expansion might still be in their future.
I’m sure they wonder too, but Andreia clarifies that as they mature as a family they’ve had to figure out the balance. The practice of keeping the gallery going is something she says helps them to conquer back their identity. That’s a highly personal incentive for a new mother, but she’s clear about the demands of the here and now. “Culture will come in years, it wont just come tomorrow.”
Plan your visit
‘The Smallest Gallery in Soho’ is located at 62 Dean Street, London W1D 4QF
Visit thesmallestgalleryinsoho.com and follow @thesmallestgalleryinsoho on Instagram for more info.
PLUS…
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