I then determined to focus on producing more
conventional artworks of my own. As an outlet for this activity I joined the
Brixton Artists Collective which had just taken over a carpet shop in Atlantic
Road, Brixton in June 1983. The three arches were spacious if a little damp.
They allowed huge shows to take place which were decided by an open collective
of 20 to 50 people. The only membership requirement was that you should simply
turn up. Later a voluntary administrator, Andrew Hurman with the help of a
committed core of directors, brought some stability to the place for a few more
years. Membership cost a concessionary rate of £2 per year. The range of shows
that was possible due to the energy of a large collective was extraordinary.
There were open themed shows like the '1984 Show' as well as shows made by
groups with a shared identity.[1]
By October 1983, over 200 artists had the
opportunity to show their work. By 1985 the membership had increased to nearly
100. By 1986 it had increased to nearly 200. (Dupre 1999)[2]
In June 1985 I initiated 'Roadworks' which was 'ten
artists working in public for ten days, documenting the work back in the
gallery on a daily basis' (Szczelkun, 1987 p9). One of the artists in Roadworks
was Mona Hatoum, another was Rasheed Araeen. Both of these, now eminent figures
in the art world, had other shows at BAG.
Whole ŽmigrŽ communities had
shows. The most memorable of these was the South African artist community's
show in January 1986:
Hazel Carey, one of the forces behind the cultural
event, expresses amazement at the 'magnetic' effect that the Exhibition
/performances seemed to have on visitors. 'The sound of music - of things
happening - drew children and shoppers off the street'. (BAG Newsletter Spring
1986)[3]
The South African community had few of the
boundaries between artforms that exist in the British contemporary culture. The
Art show included music, dancing and food - their culture was still integrated
with life and this made an strong impression on all those who became involved.
Teri Bullen arranged the
Soweto Sisters 'Patchwork of Our Lives' show in May 1986. Incredibly, she got
funding for all the women to come over from Africa to attend the opening in
person.
A women's group had formed
as soon as the gallery started in the summer of 1983 putting on its first show
at the end of November that year. The group put on annual shows which included
more than a hundred women. After the second year they self-published a book
recording their work.[4]
A separate Black Women artists group called 'Mirror Reflecting Darkly' had
formed in 1984 and had their first show June - July 1985.
The Brixton Art Gallery
supported many hundreds of artists and made their art accessible to the
shoppers of Brixton. In 1987 the Gallery closed down due to pressure from the
landlord British Rail to put up the rent; the demise of the GLC; and a lack of
will in the funding organisations. The BAG revived for a while in 1988 in 'Bon
March', 444 Brixton Road, and in 1990 moved to its current location in Brixton
Station Road. It has not been an open collective since 1990. As far as I know
there is no comprehensive history of this period of the collective in print.
[1] The collective had clear
equal opportunity policies. 50% of the exhibitions were to be organised by
Black artists and racist, sexist or homophobic work was spurned.
[2] Francoise Dupre gave a paper
entitled 'Brixton Artist's Collective' at the Creative Chaos Conference, which
was held at the Museum of London, October 1997. Quoted courtesy of Francoise.
[3] A collection of the BAG
Newsletters (A5 photocopied), which were fairly consistently produced every
month or so, are held at the Tate Gallery Library.
[4] Women's Work: two years
in the life of a women artists group, Brixton, 1986.