City Racing
Encyclopedia
City Racing was an artist run space in Kennington
, South London
which was active between 1988 and 1998. It was a cooperative
by five artists Matt Hale, Paul Noble
, John Burgess
, Keith Coventry
and Peter Owen. They set up the gallery in a former betting shop near the Oval
cricket ground, hence the derivation of the gallery name. City Racing became an important and renowned exhibition space; its openings provided a networking opportunity for many artists.
galleries, which could be difficult and intimidating to approach without a reputation. Matt Hale became involved in the second show, which was the derelict betting shop which Coventry was using as his studio. Matt Hale said "We tried to make it as white-cube like as possible, as gallery-like as possible."
Artists who had early exhibitions at City Racing include Sarah Lucas
, Fiona Banner
, Lucy Gunning, Ceal Floyer and Gillian Wearing
. In 1993 the space received some funding from the London Arts Board.
and City Limits as part of a new alternative art scene happening in London. This led to a benefit for the gallery organised by Karsten Schubert
.
David Burrows wrote that "in one sense, City Racing refused to be marginalised from the mainstream and had conventional career aspirations."
A retrospective book was published by Black Dog, called City Racing, The Life and Times of an artist Run Gallery.
In 2001 the Institute of Contemporary Arts
presented a retrospective of work exhibited at City Racing, entitled City Racing 1988-98: a Partial Account.
Kennington
Kennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
which was active between 1988 and 1998. It was a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
by five artists Matt Hale, Paul Noble
Paul Noble
Paul Noble is a British artist, born in 1963 in the village of Dilston, Northumberland. He studied at Humberside College of Higher Education and Sunderland Polytechnic , before moving to London in 1987. He was one of the five founder members of the co-operative who formed the City Racing gallery...
, John Burgess
John Burgess
For other persons named John Burgess, see John Burgess .John William Burgess was a pioneering American political scientist...
, Keith Coventry
Keith Coventry
Keith Coventry is a British artist and curator. In September 2010 his Spectrum Jesus painting won the £25,000 John Moores Painting Prize.-Early life:...
and Peter Owen. They set up the gallery in a former betting shop near the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
cricket ground, hence the derivation of the gallery name. City Racing became an important and renowned exhibition space; its openings provided a networking opportunity for many artists.
History
A show was organised by Keith Coventry and Peter Owen as a way to show their work without having to court commercial West EndWest End
West End most commonly refers to:* West End of London* West End theatre- Places :West End may also refer to:Australia*West End, Queensland in Brisbane*West End, Queensland in Townsville*West End, Western Australia in Geraldton...
galleries, which could be difficult and intimidating to approach without a reputation. Matt Hale became involved in the second show, which was the derelict betting shop which Coventry was using as his studio. Matt Hale said "We tried to make it as white-cube like as possible, as gallery-like as possible."
Artists who had early exhibitions at City Racing include Sarah Lucas
Sarah Lucas
Sarah Lucas is an English artist. She is part of the generation of Young British Artists who emerged during the 1990s...
, Fiona Banner
Fiona Banner
Fiona Banner is an English artist, who was short-listed for the Turner Prize in 2002. In 2010, she produced new work for a Duveen Hall commission at Tate Britain. She is one of the Young British Artists.-Life and work:...
, Lucy Gunning, Ceal Floyer and Gillian Wearing
Gillian Wearing
Gillian Wearing OBE RA is an English conceptual artist, one of the YBAs, and winner of the annual British fine arts award, The Turner Prize, in 1997. On 11 December 2007, Wearing was elected as lifetime member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London....
. In 1993 the space received some funding from the London Arts Board.
Influence
In its later years, City Racing was accepted to some extent by the art establishment, and was viewed by some as a route for artists to other more commercial and established galleries. It was featured in Time OutTime Out
Time Out is a publishing company based in London, England. The company's best known product is the Time Out weekly listings magazine.The Time Out Group Limited conducts most of its business from London and New York City.-Publications:...
and City Limits as part of a new alternative art scene happening in London. This led to a benefit for the gallery organised by Karsten Schubert
Karsten Schubert
Karsten Schubert is an artists' representative and gallery proprietor working in England.-Karsten Schubert Limited:Karsten Schubert ran Karsten Schubert Limited, initially in collaboration, and with the backing of, Richard Salmon, from 1986 to 1991...
.
David Burrows wrote that "in one sense, City Racing refused to be marginalised from the mainstream and had conventional career aspirations."
A retrospective book was published by Black Dog, called City Racing, The Life and Times of an artist Run Gallery.
In 2001 the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
presented a retrospective of work exhibited at City Racing, entitled City Racing 1988-98: a Partial Account.
Further reading
- 2002 City Racing: The Life and Times of an Artist-Run Gallery John Burgess, Keith Coventry, Matt Hale, Paul Noble, Peter Owen Black Dog Publishing Ltd,http://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Racing-Times-Artist-Run-Gallery/dp/1901033473