Gilbert & George are planning to convert an East End house into a non-profit gallery and foundation for contemporary art. The artists have lived and worked in Spitalfields since 1969 and often draw inspiration for their work from the local multi-faith community. They rescued their current house and studio on Fournier Street from dereliction and painstakingly restored it to its 18th-century origins themselves.
The site for the proposed gallery, called The Gilbert & George Centre, is a house on nearby Heneage Street, which previously belonged to the late artist Polly Hope. As part of the refurbishments, Gilbert & George propose to rebuild the 1970s workshop as a gallery and create a new basement.
According to the planning statement, the art foundation would “operate purely for the public benefit” with the aim of “promoting the education of the public in the arts”. The gallery would “benefit both the local community as well as the wider community, attracting visitors from other locations”.
Because the centre is a non-profit foundation, the number of exhibitions are limited to two a year. It would be open to visitors by appointment, with typical opening hours from 10am to 5pm, free of charge. Gilbert & George are expecting 200 visitors a week to the gallery and will create two full-time positions. Unlike their own collection, which mainly consists of 19th-century furniture and decorative arts by designers including Augustus Pugin, George Bullock and Christopher Dresser, exhibitions will focus on contemporary art.
The architects Sir Solutions have prepared the planning statement for Gilbert & George and Tower Hamlets Council is expected to make a decision on 5 July. Neighbours are currently being consulted; according to the planning report, Anne Butler, the landlady of the Pride of Spitalfields pub next door, is “supportive of the overall proposed scheme” and thinks the plans will “enrich the area”. The artists were not available for comment.
