Exit Through the Gift Shop

19 July 2013

We love visiting great artworks in galleries and museums, but we love to browse the attached gallery shop, too. Artist Mitchell English, who is also the director of new Paddington gallery Butcher’s Hook, talks galleries, a packed lunch and unmissable exhibitions.

Mitchell English Self Portrait, Rome

Which of your favourite galleries anywhere in the world also have wonderful retail operations?

Charles Saatchi is one of the most prolific art patrons and now arguably considered the catalyst for the contemporary art world. His gallery in London not only challenges how we value intrinsic qualities of work, but also exhibits a dynamic group of artists in an ever-changing collection. After recently viewing the gallery, I ‘exited through the gift shop’, which appeared fairly similar in structure and design to those at other galleries. Despite this, the bookshelf wasn’t filled with canon art history works, as you would expect, but showed the exact opposite, which enhanced my browsing experience. It supplied quirky notebooks, local art magazines and international papers, as well as gifts and other Saatchi products (my favourite being the unanswered journalist questions, once previously ignored but now published and titled ‘Be the Worst You Can Be’).

What do you look for when you visit the gallery shop? Do you like to buy postcards or reproductions of works you’ve seen? Do you always buy the catalogue? Do you buy art books, not necessarily of the featured artist? Books on design, architecture, interiors?

I usually search for something that encapsulates the show or collection I’ve just seen, due to my perceived growing memory loss. Personally, I find that imitations and postcards take away from the need to see the actual work. It can sometimes detract from the experience of seeing a show and somewhat discourage others from feeling the need to go to the gallery. Same could be said for printed reproductions of a painting. It simply doesn’t hold the same sentiment with regard to texture, scale and the other imperative qualities. If I purchase something from the shop, it must be relative to the exhibition.

Some gallery shops have interesting home wares, such as china or pottery vessels, tea towels that can be framed, pencils, jewellery. Do you seek those out?

No. I don’t seek out dust magnets as my house is already cluttered enough.

I love the Saatchi Gallery in London, but I also love the restaurant that’s attached to it; any galleries you visit where you’d recommend stopping for lunch or a snack in their restaurant?

There’s a small gallery/cafe in Sydney’s Surry Hills that just opened called ’Me & Art’. Their vegan-style menu and in-house roasted coffee attracts visitors and it’s a lovely addition that they exhibit contemporary Japanese artists and rotate this collection often. Aside from this location, I won’t go to a gallery to eat, so I usually just bring a packed lunch.

The best exhibition you’ve seen recently?

Saatchi’s recent exhibition ‘Gaiety is the Most Outstanding Feature of the Soviet Union’ was amazing. Utilizing the entire space across six specific rooms, Saatchi allows for a continual progression of style and practice. The exhibition was well curated, as its intention was to confront and pursue the audience throughout their visit and even afterwards. One of my favourite Russian artists is the photographer Boris Mikhailov, who documented everyday life as a social reflection of the Soviet Union. The raw depiction of his subjects was powerful in conveying complex emotions and his own intellectual subtlety.

Butcher’s Hook

52 William Street, Paddington NSW 2021, Australia

Wednesday to Saturday 11am – 6pm or by appointment
Phone: +61 431 940 499
Email: mitch@butchershook.net.au
Website: www.butchershook.net.au
Next solo exhibition Henry Curchod from July 16th

Butcher’s Hook is an intimate, salon-style art gallery, representing 20 contemporary artists and exhibiting chiefly painting and drawing. The gallery’s objective is to show art in a domestic environment, where works can be found above a sofa or in a space more akin to living. The intention is to showcase emerging artists; one of the gallery’s youngest artists has just shown in Art Express, an exhibition taken from the best work of year 12 high school students.