In making my selection I reviewed all the exhibitions and projects I have worked on since 2002, going through and jotting down names that struck a chord with me and artworks I remembered. After some sifting I ended up with 40 names and at the beginning of 2020 (before the world changed) I started to make contact with everyone.

Many of the works were first shown in the Creekside OPEN which I have organised with David Oates since 2005 and it was lovely to see these works back in the gallery again.  But, over the years the gallery has shown both memorable solo exhibitions (Maike Zimmerman comes to mind) and its scale allows strong group shows such as Eileen Cooper’s ‘Confluence’. But the exhibition would not have been possible without the kindness and support of all the exhibitors.

Thank you all for lending works for the show. 

I am so sorry that you were not able to get to see it all installed and I hope that the film and catalogue will give you an indication of how the space felt and how the artworks sat so comfortably with each other.  After 18 years working in the gallery I learnt something – not just that curating a show is hugely stressful, but that imperceptibly everything just clicks into place and it just works. And that is a great feeling. 

Liz May November 2020

To view the works in the exhibition explore the gallery below by using the left/right arrows on either side.

To read Liz May’s reflections on her 18 year's’ tenure, click here