entrance & underground presented three very different artist-run spaces selected from the vast, lively and ever-changing landscape of selforganised initiatives in London, in a curatorial experiment that explored distinct models for the production and distribution of art. It did not attempt to demonstrate the general tendencies of artist-run spaces in totality, but rather focused on three specific approaches to alternative, experimental and localised art production and display.

auto-italia south east, The Centre of the Universe and Parade were each commissioned to create an installation that represented individual approaches, histories and future visions through archival materials, works of art and performances. This process resulted in three discrete exhibitions that presented different models for independent self-organised spaces operating in London today, and placed into greater relief the conceptual and methodological frameworks that inform their operations and activities.

All the groups came together in a newly commissioned film that combined documentary material and dialogue from all three spaces, directed by the curators of entrance & underground.

auto-italia south east organised a multi-channel video installation in the RCA Entrance Gallery along with several material interventions that referenced past projects and exhibitions. The works collectively examined auto-italia south-east’s own presence and representation within the Royal College of Art Curating degree show, with contributions from artists Olivier Castel, Theo Cook, Kate Cooper, Amanda Dennis, Richard John Jones, Rachel Pimm, Patrick Shier and curator Katie Guggenheim. “A group of people have been participating in a loose series of associations, which come under an umbrella called auto-italia south east. Sometimes these relationships are formulaic but others are more complicated; these relationships can be grouped as having to do with association. It is a bit difficult when someone may be associated with something seemingly concrete like auto-italia, which is really only ever a loose collection of different relationships. This is only ever a real problem in the situation that we are now in. A series of loose, often exclusive or unconnected series of relationships has to suddenly appear as a thing.”

The Centre of the Universe was a nomadic and self-described opportunistic art space, which reflected an inclusive, collaborative strategy that drew from the worlds of fashion, music, theatre and design, performance art and curating. A small constellation of performances, events, art works and sculptural installation occupied the Lower Gulbenkian Gallery. The Centre of the Universe contribution was collectively realised by Theo Adams, James Balmforth, Gedvile Bunikyte, Catherine Borra, Gareth Cadwallader, Francesco Chiarro, Olivia Hegarty, Jordan Hunt, Matthew Stone and Nina Trivedi. During the exhibition opening The Centre of the Universe presented the performance Revelation / Meditation by Jordan Hunt.

“Revelation / Meditation explores traditional concepts of heroism in music and searches for a new heroism in musical terms, through a semi-narrative Butoh-inspired dance performance with only a blank canvas as a prop.”

Parade presented two examples from a series of works by Lawrence Weiner entitled Flags Folded out of Sight of the Barricade (1989). Supporting this a number of walls were designed to echo the changing interior architecture of the gallery space in Hackney, London.

“Since 2006 Parade has worked on a sporadic programme of specific shows developed through dialogue, support and promotion. The gallery operates with the traditional intention of offering artists a space to realise exhibitions while maintaining an interest in developing a community.”
Alexis Chan, Andrew Judd and Laurence Taylor

Curated by Dean Kissick, Marcus Mitchell, Eszter Steierhoffer and Shang Wang