Ten years in, Transition Gallery can afford to look upon newer additions to the ever-accreting East London art scene with a degree of wisdom.
Founder Cathy Lomax brought the gallery to its current Andrews Road (opposite the new-art epicentre of Vyner Street) in 2006, having been based in Hackney’s Victoria Park since 2002.
‘We don’t have a set manifesto about what we show and things are constantly in flux’, Lomax explains when asked what the name Transition signifies, going on to point out how the artist-run space functions financially: ‘We are all volunteers and any money we make from sales or grants goes straight back into the gallery’.
Trebuchet: How did Transition start?
Cathy Lomax: I started the gallery after finishing on Fine Art MA at Central St Martins. The idea was to have a space where me and my friends / contemporaries could show our work.
Trebuchet: What is the vision for the gallery?
Cathy Lomax: To show exciting contemporary art. We are always looking for new ideas and artists to show. There is no point in us doing what the big galleries do as we could not compete. So we allow artists to be experimental giving them the space to try out new ideas.
We also publish magazines and books which is a really important part of what we do. Our magazines Arty and Garageland both come out twice a year and they allow the artists that we work with to reach a wider audience.
Trebuchet: Which artists support that vision?
Cathy Lomax: We are currently showing Emma Talbot. We have worked with her quite a few times and her career has really developed. Her current show. Bad Objects, Little Deaths has some 3D works in it – and its the first time she has made and shown these. We also put together exhibitions which show at different venues.
One of these – Tainted Love is currently showing at Down Stairs at Great Brampton House, Herefordshire. For this we worked with artist Corinna Spencer who curated the show – it was the first time that she has done this and we were able to help her through the process.
Trebuchet: What’s been your biggest challenge?
Cathy Lomax: Financing the space. We have a very hand to mouth existence but we have got very good on surviving on very little money.
Trebuchet: And what’s been your biggest success?
Cathy Lomax: So many of the artists that we have shown have gone on to have really good careers.
Trebuchet: Who do you think is the artist to watch at the moment and why?
Cathy Lomax: Everyone we have shown this year really – its very hard to predict who will capture the attention of the art world at large, much of it is about having the confidence and staying power to continue making work. Its a long game being an artists and its exciting seeing peoples career’s develop.
Trebuchet: What does the future hold for Transition?
Cathy Lomax: Luckily beyond the next few months I have no idea and this is what makes it so exciting.
Transition Gallery
Unit 25a Regent Studios
8 Andrews Road
London E8 4QN
[button link=”www.transitiongallery.co.uk” newwindow=”yes”] Transition Gallery[/button]
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. – Aristotle
