Each day, on his walk to work at Kingston University, Paul Stafford passed a disused women’s toilet block, up a side alley in Kingston Upon Thames town centre. A germ of an idea grew, then became reality as he converted it into an art gallery.
“The Toilet Gallery” was opened by Gilbert and George in a flurry of press interest and, went on to show the works of a wide range of new artists as well as hosting performance pieces and events such as the “Pink Pooch Party” in aid of breast cancer charities.
In 2006, Paul and The Toilet Gallery won the award for “New Start Up Business of the Year”.
The Award Winning Start Up of the Year Toilet Gallery, Autumn Season 2006
We hope you enjoyed the long/wet/rotten summer and are now aching for our new artists’ work. We have visited major post graduate and graduate centres during the latter parts of June and have come up trumps with 3 new artists who exemplify all we are striving for within our gallery. Innovative, ground breaking and bright new emerging talents await you within in our award winning gallery. Enjoy!
List of Events Autumn 2006
Terue Yamauchi 8th September – 30th September
Private View Thursday 7th September 2006 6pm – 8pm
Gallery open Friday 8th September until Saturday 30th September
“Toilet Talk” at Kingston University 12.30 pm Friday 22nd September room 324 Knights Park
Unilever Lecture in the Gallery itself Saturday 23rd September 11am FREE
Terue graduated from Goldsmiths June 2006 and produced a body of video based projected work that pursued her previous agenda in terms of the projection of moving images. A bight highly articulate young artist we have managed to secure Terue before she returns to Tokyo.
Louise Colburne 6th October – 28th October
Private View Thursday 5th October
Gallery Open from Friday 6th October until Saturday 28th October
“Toilet Talk” at Kingston University 12.30 pm Thursday 19th October room 324 Knights Park
Unilever Lecture in the Gallery itself Saturday 21st October at 11am.FREE
Louise has just graduated from the Slade School where her video and object based installation took over almost the entire ground floor. Her work bridges the gap between video performance an object and unusually manages to connect to a sculptural ideology whilst pursuing a contemporary agenda.
Lyndsay Officer 10th November – 2nd December
Private View Thursday 9th November
Gallery Open Friday 10th November until Saturday 2nd December
“Toilet Talk” at Kingston University 12.30 pm Friday 24th November room 324 Knights Park
Unilever Lecture in the Gallery itself Saturday 25th November 11am FREE
Lyndsay uses her own life and surroundings as a working artwork. She wittily engages the viewer in her alter egos life using ready made objects and ephemera to populate the imagined world her alter ego occupies. A combination of found objects, video and artist as curator is imaginatively packaged in this unusual and thought provoking installation.
Opening Times: Wed – Fri 12pm – 6pm, Sat 10am – 6pm, Sun 12pm – 5pmEntrance to the Gallery is free, 30 Minutes from Waterloo, Vauxhall or Clapham Junction to Kingston.
Copyright©2015 Paul Stafford
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