Gavin Brown Returns to Croydon for Summer Art Exhibition

Renowned gallerist Gavin Brown is set to return to his hometown of Croydon, South London, to curate a summer exhibition featuring seminal video works by Arthur Jafa and Mark Leckey. The exhibition will be held in a former electronics store within the Whitgift Shopping Centre from June 28 to August 10, 2025. Entry is free, and the works are not for sale. This initiative aims to support Conditions, a local artist-run studio providing affordable workspaces and critical development for emerging artists.

The exhibition will showcase Jafa's "Love is the Message, The Message is Death" (2016) and Leckey's "Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore" (1999). Both films explore themes of cultural identity and popular media. Jafa's seven-minute video is a montage of original and appropriated footage set to Kanye West's "Ultralight Beam," juxtaposing moments of celebration and mourning to highlight the complexities of the African American experience. Leckey's 15-minute video compiles found footage from the UK's underground dance scenes of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including disco, Northern soul, and rave cultures, evoking the atmosphere of these subcultures.

Gavin Brown, born and raised in Croydon, trained as an artist before founding Gavin Brown's Enterprise in New York's SoHo in 1994. The gallery became a pivotal space for contemporary art. In 2020, Brown closed his influential U.S. gallery and now works as a partner at Gladstone Gallery. His decision to return to Croydon for this exhibition reflects a personal and professional homecoming, aiming to reinvigorate the local art scene and support emerging artists.

Conditions, the beneficiary of this initiative, is a local artist-run studio and workshop founded in 2018 by Matthew Noel-Tod and David Panos. It was established to address the lack of affordable studio spaces and critical development opportunities for young artists in Croydon. The studio offers 30 workspaces at reasonable rates, including utilities and access to a program of talks and workshops. The upcoming exhibition aims to raise awareness and attract future support for Conditions, emphasizing the importance of nurturing emerging talent in the face of challenges in arts education and the high cost of living.

Additional events include a talk with the artists at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) on June 26 and a club night at Ormside Projects in Bermondsey on June 28.

This exhibition signifies a shift in the art world's engagement with non-traditional spaces, bringing significant contemporary works to a shopping centre environment. By situating these influential pieces in a public, accessible venue, the initiative challenges conventional notions of where art can be experienced and who its audience can be. It also highlights the potential for art to revitalize urban spaces and foster community engagement. Furthermore, the exhibition underscores the importance of supporting grassroots initiatives like Conditions, which play a crucial role in sustaining the next generation of artists amid economic and educational challenges.

While art exhibitions in unconventional spaces are not unprecedented, this event stands out due to the prominence of the artists involved and the specific focus on supporting local artistic infrastructure. Gavin Brown's return to his hometown to curate this exhibition adds a personal dimension, bridging his international experience with local cultural development. The choice of works by Jafa and Leckey, both of which have been influential in contemporary art discourse, brings significant cultural narratives to a broader audience.

Gavin Brown's upcoming exhibition in Croydon represents a confluence of personal history, contemporary art, and community support. By bringing significant works to an accessible public space and highlighting the efforts of local initiatives like Conditions, the event underscores the evolving landscape of art presentation and the ongoing need to support emerging talent in challenging times.