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Contemporary Arts

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Ashleigh Kane

Melbourne native asked for a one-way ticket to London for her 21st birthday and wanting to figure it all out when the plane landed. In a city where anything is possible, Ashleigh Kane is the poster girl for working her way to the top. Starting out as a receptionist intern at Dazed - while waitressing at night - she is now Dazed's Art & Photography Editor-at-Large. Travelling the world on art escapes we could only dream of, Ashleigh continues to cement her name in London's art scene. 

Follow this guide as she takes us on a tour of her top London art galleries.

Beginning as a project space in 2011 before transitioning into a commercial gallery four years ago, Arcadia Missa actively champions young and contemporary female artists such as Phoebe Collings-James, Reba Maybury and Amalia Ulman

Anchored in its German and American roots, this multi-city gallery often hosts works from some of the biggest artists in the world; John Waters, Barbara Kruger and even Kraftwerk

Sadie Coles is a veteran of the London art scene and known for her connection to the YBAs - mostly Sarah Lucas. It has an incredible roster of international artists, with Martine Syms being a favourite of mine

Guest Projects is tucked away just around the corner from Broadway Market’s hustle and bustle (aka chaos). Founded by Yinka Shonibare, it offers the extremely rare opportunity for artists to have free access to the London space for a month. Here, multidisciplinary practices combine for residencies, parties and even supper clubs

Situated inside Piccadilly Tube Station and has done shows with Harley Weir, Ryan McGinley and more. The gallery never actually opens or closes, all the art you need to see is in its shop window

The ICA is a melting pot of both emerging and established underground artists that cover film, photography, performance, and installation, as well as talks, lectures and panels. Keep an eye out for its Friday night programmes which is when they host progressive events, club nights and other happenings

A stone’s throw from Peckham Rye Overground is the Hannah Barry Gallery. An incredible influence on the city’s contemporary art scene – particularly in pushing interest South-East. After hitting the gallery, climb the stairs at Peckham’s multi-storey carpark and experience Bold Tendencies. It's a not-for-profit art and cultural programme that takes place each Summer, organised by Barry, and featuring both local and international commissions. Bold Tendencies is also where you’ll find Simon Whybray’s 'hi boo i love you', the pink staircase which is actually a long letter to a long distance girlfriend

The Chisenhale Gallery in East London is an innovative contemporary space that regularly commissions artists to “pursue their most ambitious work to date”. The gallery is refreshingly progressive in the work and artists it shows. It also produces limited editions, so be sure to check out the shop and invest in the next generation's work

The Tate is literally next to my office, which is maybe why I have an affinity to it, despite also a lot of conflict with some of its practices. If you want to buy one of your fave artworks, likely Tate will have a postcard of it or something similar... I’m a sucker for collecting images and ephemera, so this is my first stop

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Ashleigh Kane's Top London Gallery and Museums 

Flora Yin-Wong is a producer, writer, label founder and publisher whose work has become synonymous with London's underground scene.

This year, Flora Yin-Wong inaugurated her new label and publishing house, Doyenne, with a collaboration with Susu Laroche. The imprint was launched as a platform for women whose works occupy the space that exists between experimental music, sound art and sculptural forms. Yin-Wong's curation focuses on "ephemera and the divine feminine" in particular. These are themes championed through her own works, too, and her collagistic style sees her knit together fragmentary sounds – think temple bells and voice notes – to create evocative experimental and ambient works. Her musical aesthetic has, at times, appeared to be nocturnally dark and feminine, with the artwork for her debut album, 

featuring a pink anthuriam flower glowing amongst a black backdrop.

The Chinese-Malaysian multidisciplinary artist was born in London, and has performed across various art spaces in the city, such as the ICA, V&A Museum and Somerset House. Her writing has appeared across London-based publications, including 

On 8 September, she'll be kickstarting Trippin's new immersive series, titled Undercurrents, with a DJ set at Corsica Studios. A multi-hyphenate whose works are inextricably tied to London's creative scene, we asked Yin-Wong to list her favourite art venues in the city.

One of my favourite galleries in London, it’s a good mid-sized, one room space which means it’s usually an immersive solo show [and] expertly-curated. I remember one of my favourite exhibits was an amazing Ima Abasi-Okon installation filling the room with industrial air conditioners moving at various speeds and duration.

It’s in a pretty quiet area with not much around so I don’t go very often, but Gasworks tends to have interesting cross-cultural work, and are currently doing an open call, working with artists in Indonesia and Bangkok.

I’ve been going to this institution since I was 15 or so, which is wild. I like how multi-faceted the space is – hosting gigs and club nights to lesser-known films and talks – plus, there’s a great bookshop which I love and am honoured to have the new book on my label, Doyenne, stocked at.

Not sure if this strictly counts as an ‘arts space’ but it’s such a London staple for underground culture in terms of music and disciplines that cross over.

A very DIY independent space with the best multi-channel sound system in London with insane clarity.

They have a huge artist residency and development programme, hosting events and workshops with the likes of Nkisi, Paul Purgas, Lawrence Lek and Tai Shani. I did a video and sound commission for their Gallery 31 space, and went to a circuit-hacking workshop with Taiwanese Buddha boxes which was cute.

A Guide to London’s Art Spaces by Flora Yin-Wong

Lotte Andersen

Multi-media artist and all-round babe from West London, Lotte Andersen shows us around the city she calls her hometown. Letting us in on all the top spots in London from art galleries to the best kept Indian joints. Working in video, print, soft sculpture, sound and performance and human behaviour to name a few, Lotte has found herself all over London's nooks and crannies.

It’s like pick n mix - the programming is dope. The cinema shows crazy stuff all the time and they tend to be the first to screen most independent young artist's films. It’s cheap too, which always blows my mind.

GO FRIDAY!


Don't do Saturdays... it’s like Camden on steroids (in London language, this is stressful). This is my home, it's where i grew up. Friday is the best day for proper vintage and second hand clothes. I studied fashion and am obsessed with textiles, lots of that too! Friday is when all the buyers from the big fashion houses descend (usually at 7.30AM) to swoop all gear for archive research. Walk to the very top and then right on Golborne’s best food stalls (Moroccan, West Indian and more... weather dependant though).

Literally go to to the rose garden and check out all the names of the different strains. It’s so grand, old-fashioned and FREE... Also WHO knew there were roses called Champagne Coast, Rachel, Nostalgia and Simply the best?

This is my childhood gallery. Walk through Kensington Gardens, around the round pond, or from Albert Hall. There are two, the Sackler Centre and the Original Gallery. It’s on this list for pure nostalgia. It’s literally the first gallery I was pushed around in a stroller. The events programme in the Summer is super fun too.

My friend Jackson has opened the most divine restaurant. The food is a sensory ride and is aesthetically gorgeous. The space is designed by Rose Uniacke. Jackson, as corny as it sounds, is a magician with flavour. Boujie.

I worked for John after dropping out of studying fashion. He started ‘Granny Takes a Trip’ in the 60s, dressed icons like Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles... literally everyone. He opened his tailors in the early 80s. He’s usually grump, but if you say you know Lotte he’ll cheer up. He literally invented hype youth culture clothing and lol'd when Supreme opened a block away cos he said he hadn’t seen young people queue for clothes since his shop.

This is one of London’s best kepts... there are a line of restaurants in a row that have been there since the 80s. They’ve got weird cool wooden booths. Order the chana poori or the poori filled with yoghurt and sweet potatoes. So divine! Pay by cash or only one card to make it easy for them. Lunch buffet for £6.50- DIVINE.

Institute of Contemporary Arts

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