• Route

    Discover South London's gallery scene with my suggested route
  • My early years were spent in South London – Southwark is listed as my place of birth on my certificate! The area has changed a fair bit since then, but still has that special, raw creativity and DIY culture that is helped along by the high population of art students at Goldsmiths and UAL and the performers and dancers at Trinity Laban. Some great galleries have popped up in recent years – I start my route at Xxijra Hii, just off Deptford High Street; they have a show of the painter David Micheaud, who has a particular way of working with paint that immediately creates atmosphere. Studio/Chapple, just a few doors down, are showing work by the duo Theresa Weber and Nathanael Amadou Kliebhan which communicates their experience as Afro-German artists, through sound, performance and installation.
    Read more

    My early years were spent in South London – Southwark is listed as my place of birth on my certificate! The area has changed a fair bit since then, but still has that special, raw creativity and DIY culture that is helped along by the high population of art students at Goldsmiths and UAL and the performers and dancers at Trinity Laban. Some great galleries have popped up in recent years – I start my route at Xxijra Hii, just off Deptford High Street; they have a show of the painter David Micheaud, who has a particular way of working with paint that immediately creates atmosphere. Studio/Chapple, just a few doors down, are showing work by the duo Theresa Weber and Nathanael Amadou Kliebhan which communicates their experience as Afro-German artists, through sound, performance and installation.

     

    Over to Peckham, and Sid Motion Gallery, with a group show which includes Max Wade, who has a very personal approach to abstract painting, alongside two artists with similar interests but born at least half a century before him – it should make for an interesting visual conversation.

     

    Hannah Barry Gallery is always worth visiting; Hannah also looks after Bold Tendencies, a nearby rooftop programme of cutting edge installations which this year engages Yoko Ono and Martin Parr among others. Close by, Bosse & Baum are showing a solo exhibition of Jade de Montserrat; her 2021 exhibition with the gallery coincided with the first iteration of London Gallery Weekend and was much talked about, so I am looking forward to seeing her show this year. If you’re in this area around lunchtime, go up to the rooftop of Forza Wine. Unbeatable.

     

    We’re then headed a little closer into the heart of the city via Trafalgar Avenue's Sophie Goodchild exhibition which is all about the healing properties of wool and – keep going! – further on to White Cube Bermondsey, with the no doubt showstopping Georg Baselitz. Nearby Cecilia Brunson Projects, who are strictly still in south London but closer to London Bridge have a great space; they are showing work by Lucía Pizzani, a brilliant Venezuelan artist who makes beautiful, sensitive work and was recently acquired by Tate.

     

    From there, it’s a little journey south west, to Cooke Latham Gallery, but it will be worth it. Fani Parali is creating an installation which will culminate in a lip-synched ‘opera’ which will be performed throughout London Gallery Weekend. Do not miss!