Arts & Culture
Originally published on Tuesday, 5th May 2009
Home Is Where The Heart Is
Transient, illicit, and inherently cool, pop-ups come in countless flavours - from simple sample sales to the full-on Double Club. And with an increase in vacated retail spaces and offices, it's a trend that looks set to continue. Yet some entrepreneurial pop-upists have stopped bothering with official venues altogether.
A few weeks ago, for example, a certain well-known East London artist converted his entire warehouse apartment into a restaurant for the weekend.
"Why didn't you tell us?" you cry. Well, being in his house and without all the necessary Health and Safety bumph, let's just say the event wasn't entirely legal.
Not that officialdom has been stopping the anonymous food blogger-cum-chef, Miss Marmite Lover (remember: if the police come knocking, everyone break into "Happy Birthday Dear Marmite" and head calmly for the exit). Her fantastic Underground Restaurant is now even offering cookery lessons.
And proving that there really is no place quite like home, James Tregaskes has just opened his first floor living room to the public as a homely art gallery called, ingeniously, First Floor Projects. An Englishman's home, as the saying goes, really is his castle. And his art gallery, apparently. And restaurant, and bar, and...
First Floor Projects, 5 Redcliffe Gardens, SW10
Thurs-Sat 12-6pm, or by apppointment.
