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A gallery stroll in London’s Bohemian Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia is a neighbourhood in central London, tucked between Bloomsbury and Marylebone, north of Soho. This historically bohemian area was once inhabited by renowned writers like Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw and George Orwell. It is now a burgeoning art hub containing some of the most innovative and well-respected galleries. To explore this area in full, the Edition Hotel is a perfect place to start – its restaurant, BernerÂ’s Tavern, is without a doubt a Sunday Brunch favourite and the hotelÂ’s interior design by Yabu Pushelberg is divine. Edition Hotel If you need a little ‘guidanceÂ’ from some city curators, From My City offers a bespoke Fitzrovia art tour, with the possibility of exploring up to 15 high-end galleries in the area. Here are 4 galleries youÂ’ll want to visit, paired with some unique shops and cafes: Kashya Hildebrand This gallery is heaven for Middle Eastern art aficionados. KashyaÂ’s participation in the first Dubai art fair 7 years ago broadened her vision dramatically: she recognized the burgeoning talent of emerging artists from the Middle East and Iran. She found art could become a conduit and bridge for cultural exchange, and this is what the gallery is all about.The gallery’s artists challenge pre-conceived notions of nationality and cultural identity. Kashya Hildebrand has become as well-known name in art fairs around the world, and the gallery has participated in over 15 fairs internationally. The newly opened Kaffeine café on Eastcastle Street is perfect for a coffee break, and offers courses ranging from ‘latte artÂ’ to ‘one on one trainingÂ’. Kashya Hildebrand Art First Art First represents artists whose work can be found in museums and public collections in the UK, the USA, South Africa and worldwide. After 25 years, it moved from Cork Street to this Fitzrovia location, also on Eastcastle Street. It has an interesting scheme called Art First Multiples, in which the gallery sells a group of particular multimedia works made in small editions by its artists. From here, grab a ‘Coffee Colada’ or a ‘Mulled Cascara’ from CuratorÂ’s coffee on Margaret street. If you are feeling even more adventurous and dare to have a coffee in what was formerly a Victorian toilet – the Attendant is a hidden gem, serving a delicious afternoon tea. Pilar Corrias One of the most glamorous of this bunch, this spacious gallery was designed by the architect Rem Koolhaas and is made up of two exhibition spaces. Its founder, Pilar Corrias, is the former director of LondonÂ’s mighty Lisson Gallery. Corrias made her name showing conceptual pieces by artists such as the Turner Prize-winning Keith Tyson and the distinguished British sculptor Anish Kapoor. Time for lunch? Go gluten-free at the nearby ‘Beyond BreadÂ’ bakery offering all kinds of savoury and sweet goodies. Tiwani Contemporary Tiwani Contemporary is an usual one, focusing on Africa and its diaspora. It runs a public programme, Art Connect, supported by the A.G. Leventis Foundation. This provides a platform for discussing contemporary artistic practice through publications, talks and projects, both within the gallery and in association with other organisations. Pass by the Scandinavian Kitchen store a few minutes away, and fill your bags with Scandi specialities – you wonÂ’t believe youÂ’re in England. Scandinavian Kitchen

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6 Comments

  1. You mean Scandinavian kitchen? Yes, I can’t walk past and not go in :). Do you know Nordic Bakery? Also cool, but a different vibe – more of a cafe.

  2. Nice post!

    There are dozens of great galleries in this, and the surrounding, area. Just walk around and you will most likely stumble into any number of tiny one-room exhibitions and larger venues.

  3. True, Fitzrovia is great for galleries – you forgot to mention Piartworks on 55 Eastcastle Street. They also have a gallery in Istanbul – it is my favorite of the lot on this row.

  4. You must go to the new Sanderson restaurant – Allan Pickett at Sanderson. Seriously good, affordable, chic. This is after you’ve had graxlax on toast for brunch, of course. (And yes, I’m local.)

  5. Thanks for mentioning us! The choice of galleries concentrated in the area is amazing. In addition to those mentioned in the article and in the comments, i would also recommend Rosenfeld Porcini, Josh Lilley Gallery, TJ Boulting, Richard Saltoun,Carroll/Fletcher and Bartha Contemporary to name a few… Also Alison Jacques just opposite the Sanderson. This hotel is also a great choice for the most adorable high tea but book a few months in advance. Nearby, on Rathbone place, you find Lazarides, a gallery that represents many important street artists whose work can be seen in Shoreditch walls.

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