Don’t Look Gallery Closes
Don’t Look Gallery is closing after exhibiting experimental art in Dulwich Hill for more than a year. Artist Greg Shapley started the gallery in 2006 because of the lack of affordable spaces in Sydney for new media artists to exhibit.
“One reason why I focused on new media art, besides because I produce it, is that it is relatively non-commodifiable, so very few people are making money out of it. I wanted to create an inexpensive space for artists, so that they would feel free to experiment, and could spend the money on their art instead of the rent.”
The gallery is located in-between a hairdressers and a hardware store on New Canterbury Road. It has been mistaken for a brothel as well as a shady place to get your satellite TV hooked up, but its unusual location in Dulwich Hill, outside the traditional Sydney art circuit, has also encouraged an experimental atmosphere.
“The crowd that it attracted also made a difference because artists felt less under pressure. I realised at an early stage I wasn’t going to get people from Paddington to come along, so I would have to court locals for an audience. There were a lot of escapees from the art scene. People who were moving to Marrickville and were educated and artistic but sick of high rents and the scene. There were also a lot of locals who normally wouldn’t be interested in art.”
Don’t Look has exhibited over 50 artists, but perhaps the most infamous exhibition was by artist and Nerds-FC star, Matt Rochford, who lived in the gallery for two weeks. Initially Shapley thought that the exhibition titled “Dulwich Hill DayZZZe” would alienate a local community already perplexed about the status of art shown in the gallery.
“Instead of Matt being alien he was embraced by the community. Complete strangers brought him coffee every morning and people travelled all the way from Newcastle to play a game of Scrabble with him. It is interesting to see if many people thought of Matt as an artist or as an interesting social experiment. Perhaps in the long run it shouldn’t matter. Perhaps all art should be, is an interesting social experiment.”
The space isn’t going to disappear as a hub for artistic experimentation. Matt Rochford along with a group of other artists including Simon Yates and Greer Rochford are taking over the lease from Shapley and although they haven’t decided on a concrete name for it they are certain it will keep the creative fire burning in Dulwich Hill.
“I would call it an arts centre, a gang clubhouse, a secret base. Simon Yates wants to call it the Don’t Look Now Research Centre. It will be an experimental space for artists to work in, but also with the potential to perform and exhibit in. At the moment it seems like it should have multiple names and maintain a bit of mystery.” Matt Rochford said.
Don’t Look Gallery will end with perhaps its most controversial show yet. The last exhibition opens April 9th and runs until the 19th. The show is called “Curdle” and will feature the artist Zoo lactating without child in the shopfront window.
Don’t Look Gallery is at 419 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill, NSW, Australia (a block back from the corner of New Canterbury Rd and Marrickville Rd). Opening hours are 11-5, Thursday to Saturday.