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Chef Simon Boyle with Kevin Byrne and Sam Oko and, right, Virginia Damtsa and Tot Taylor |
Ex-women’s refuge is now an innovative art gallery
A HISTORIC women’s refuge in Soho that closed last year because of cuts in government funding has been reopened as a gallery.
Soho gallery Riflemaker has taken up residence in the first floor of the Grade I listed House of St Barnabas in Greek Street.
The 200-year-old building closed its 39 beds last June, but has continued to offer advice services to the homeless.
Now the St Barnabas charity, which owns the building, has struck up a deal with Riflemaker offering special internships to homeless people at their Regent Street HQ. Gallery owners Tot Taylor and Virginia Damtsa have chosen the house as a second site.
The space was officially launched on Monday and Mr Taylor said he wanted to buck the industry’s trend of galleries displaying art on white walls.
He said: “What we like to do is go into buildings and keep them as they are. It’s a challenge. We have to find innovative ways of exhibiting art.”
The exhibition features large puzzle pieces of painted wood by Marta Marce.
Mr Taylor said: “It’s a nice reference to the game of life which relates to the homeless aspect of the House of St Barnabas.”
Beyond Boyle, the business occupying the basement where clients cook alongside the chef Simon Boyle, also offers work placements to homeless people.
During the 19th century the House of St Barnabas was the base for the architects of the central London sewerage system.
It is believed the historic rooms of the house were Charles Dickens’ chosen locations for his characters Dr Alexandre Manette and Lucie in A Tale of Two Cities, who also sat in the garden “under the plane trees.”
The house has a cantilevered “crinoline” staircase, which extends through five floors and is so named because the railings are shaped to allow for the 18th century ladies’ skirts. |
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