LONDON, ENGLAND.- Britart godfathers Gilbert & George opened Kingston’s Toilet Gallery. The converted public convenience in Clarence Street is set to become an important showcase for young artists across Britain.
”For most of the last century, the toilet in Clarence Street provided a vital public service for many people in Kingston,” says the gallery¹s founder Paul Stafford. “We hope the unique setting for this new art space will keep an historic civic building in business well into the 21st century.”
The Toilet Gallery will exhibit film, video and performance art, as well as showing the very best postgraduate work from the major art schools in the country. The opening show is by Antoinette Hachler, sponsored by the Swiss Embassy.
Paul Stafford, who is also Director of Foundation Studies in Art and Design at Kingston University, has worked closely with the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames to launch the gallery. ”It’s a fantastic new facility for the people of Kingston,” he says, “and, unlike the old days, a visit to the Toilet Gallery won’t even cost you a penny”.
