Arcadia Missa Moves To Soho
By Something CuratedLast month, London gallery Arcadia Missa announced its departure from the Peckham neighbourhood, citing gentrification as the primary reason for its relocation to Soho. The exhibition venue initially established itself as a project space in Peckham in 2011, and transformed into a commercial gallery in 2014.
The gallery launched its first Soho show, entitled Cealdwiellla, on 7 April with performances by New Noveta and Sophie Sleigh-Johnson. With costume design by Gabriella Massey of Atelier Bâba Mixing and live transmission by Vindicatrix, the exhibit will continue at the new Brewer Street site until 28 April.
Founder director Rózsa Farkas told ArtMirror: “Having grown up in Peckham I have witnessed massive changes, in particular in recent years. Although it’s sentimental to be spending less time in the area, for reasons beyond how much more accessible central London is for many visitors, it is time to go. I am against gentrification, and this has left me constantly conflicted in my position as a gallery owner. I support artists and work that often deals with issues surrounding gentrification (Hannah Quinlan & Rosie Hastings in particular), and have programmed talks and events that try to tackle the issue of ‘what to do.’”
After graduating from Central Saint Martins, south London native Farkas founded Arcadia Missa under railway arches in Peckham Rye, transforming the empty space into a gallery with an office and studios available for rent. Arcadia Missa continues to function as a gallery, research and publishing project run by Farkas, building out of work she carried out as a student, surrounding institutional critique and self-education.
Since the gallery’s inaugural show with Lucky PDF and Warren Garland, Farkas has gone on to work with artists as varied as Marlie Mul, Harry Sanderson, Clunie Reid, Hannah Perry, Jesse Darling, Katja Novitskova and Amalia Ulman. The gallery has been defined by its collaborative and conversational approach to showing artists, often overflowing into their programme of published works. Totally Different Animals by Gaby Sahhar and Rosie Grace Ward, with a text by Porpentine Charity Heartscape, marked the gallery’s final Peckham display in March.
Arcadia Missa, 14–16 Brewer Street, First Floor, London W1F 0SG
Feature image via New Noveta