2014 in the life of a London gallery

 With 2014 about to fly the nest, we look back on the year in Curious Duke Gallery. New artists, art prizes, a few trips around the UK, and we are ready for 2015. Bigger plans and more adventures are just around the corner, and we aren't giving any hints.

 

2014 kicked off with seeing CDG move into our lovely new home with Taylored Framing a few doors up from our old home on Whitecross Street. Our shop on the corner is a world of surreal and urban art, now spilling out of our 173 home with our beautifully big windows showcasing our artists to East London. Our new home has seen 12 exhibitions, BSAA talks and live painting, not forgetting Alan of Taylored Framing hilarious antics. There is never a boring day at CDG, especially with impromptu human snails and plate smashing. Don't believe us? It's all here with our star in the making. 

 

Let's not forget that we launched the inaugural Secret Art Prize! Our roster of artists specialise in surreal, urban, gritty and beautiful art, and we wanted to find the best new talent to join us. Our rather niche collection of art sets us apart from most, as we revel in pushing imaginations to the limit. Our brilliant new artists have already broken into the London art scene since joining us in September, with us welcoming Artists Aidan Myers, Blandine Bardeau, Cherelle Sappleton, Johnathan Reiner, Karolina Albrict, Martha Zmpounou, Novemto Komo, Olivia Yu and Rosanna Dean. If you think you have what it takes to win in 2015, keep up to date with the launch of Secret Art Prize 2015, join our mailing list at the top of this page. We love all things curious!

As for those 12 exhibitions, well the highly anticipated solo shows from Roy's People, his work with Big Issue, Tannaz Oroumchi's Hectified and Andrea Tyrimos' Roadz were met with great acclaim. Represented by CDG for 2-3 years, each artist showcased the development of their portfolios, the height of their skill and their unique personalities that shines through their art works and theories making each and everyone of our artists exciting to work with. With such brilliant minds working at the forefront of contemporary art, CDG is always excited to see what our artists are up to.

 

Of course we have had a few road trips too! No year at CDG would be complete without a sense of adventure. We have collaborated with London's finest; with Timberyard, Look Mum No Hands and art groups Art Pie, I Know What I like, Rooftop Collective and art world giants Be Smart About Art and WXSP. We've popped up at Affordable Art Fair Hampstead, Bristol and Battersea, Manchester Buy Art Fair and Moniker (I foresee exciting news here) and WXSP. The UK really is alive with creativity.

2014 also saw the rise of women in the arts. With more exhibitions of female artists, Georgia O'Keeffe breaking the auction record for female artists (read more here), and CDG now representing men and women in an equal split, this has been the year for equality. Don't believe us? Our Ms Duke was asked to join the Femme Fierce judging panel. The all women street art festival and competition broke the male dominated status quo, and will return next year with Eleni taking to the panel once again. Short of saying Girl Power, this is all very good news.

But we won't be slacking after such a great year. Secret Art Prize 2015 is launching in January, we'll be popping up with spark solo shows from our Sam Peacock, Roy's People and Hannah Adamaszek, and taking up residence in art fairs perhaps a little further afield. We'll be ambling along the streets of London with Inspiring City as we explore Curious Routes lined with Street Art, some of which comes from the very hands of the artists we represent such as Otto Schade, Novemto Komo and D.S. We'll be unleashing a few other things, but we can't give it all away, I'll give you one hint though- the one and only surrealist print maker Otto D'Ambra has a groundbreaking solo show heading your way this June.

 

2015 is going to be massive and we can't wait!

 

Thank you to all our or artists, collectors, visitors and interns who have made 2014 amazing. Merry Christmas!

 

Written by Curious Duke Gallery blogger Sinéad Loftus.

Lover of all art and fluffy cats.