LONDON — As London prepares for a series of art sales and fairs including Frieze, which runs from Oct. 9 to 13, Paul Smith has his own creative ambitions.
The British designer has announced the opening of Paul Smith Space, a permanent gallery situated in the basement of his flagship on 9 Albemarle Street in Mayfair.
The first exhibition to take place at the gallery will be “Fabric of Life,” from Oct. 10 to Nov. 18, curated by Catherine Loewe in collaboration with digital producer Vortic.
The Smiths: Paul and Matt.
Courtesy of Paul Smith
The showcase will dive into the personal, social, political and cultural histories of textiles. It will also look at different methods of the way fabrics are used, from weaving, embroidery, dyeing to sewing and more.
“Fabric of Life” will feature work from artists including Hangama Amiri, Sara Berman, Bea Bonafini, Tiffanie Delune, Delphine Dénéréaz and Camilla Emson.
Smith, an art and antiques collector, is adding his own artistic touch to the space with a VR viewing of his own furniture and textile designs for the Paul Smith brand.
The Paul Smith store.
Michael Buckner for WWD
The designer’s store has previously hosted the work of artists such as Dale Chihuly, Pat Vale and Yvonne Robert.
As part of the new initiative, Smith has named Katie Heller as art and exhibitions manager of the Paul Smith Space.
She will also coordinate art partnerships and hone the brand’s relationships with the art world. Heller has previously held positions at Soho House and Whitechapel Gallery.