Repurposing Retail: From Pharmacy to Gallery
The former Qrystal Pharmacy, now a gallery and project space by Qrystal Partners. Part of our Borough SE1 studio location. © Qrystal Partners
Our members in the press - Qystral Partners in the FT
Donald Ryan and Supriya Lele featured in the FT HTSI magazine.
The Hotel Elephant team are always pleased to see our members featured in the press and were delighted to spot Supriya Lele and Donald Ryan in the weekend edition of the Financial Times HTSI magazine. Released on the 9th of September, the article explores Fashion Designer Supriya Lele’s partnership with gallerist Donald Ryan who has recently launched Qrystal Partners, a project space and gallery in the former Pharmacy located on our site in Borough, SE1.
The space launch in May 2023, with its first exhibition Small Paintings, by Indian-born British painter Jai Chunhan. Their next exhibition, opening soon, is co-curated with Parinaz Mogadassi, owner of the New York and London-based gallery Tramps. This exhibition will “probe the allegorical positions that artists use to characterise modern existence, with works by Satoshi Kojima, Peter Doig and Edward Burra pointing to ways one can be moved by environments, yet never feel fully integrated in time and space.” For more information about this and future exhibitions, see Qyrstal Partners website and follow on Instagram @Qrystalpartners
Pharmacy to Gallery; a creative approach to vacate spaces
Hotel Elephant has many years of experience of working with landowners, developers and local councils to facilitate and broker access to space for artists, makers and those working within the creative industries. These spaces, often underused, vacant and sometimes unusual provide unique opportunities for our members to test ideas, make work and progress their practice in spaces that may otherwise not be accessible to them.
“Hotel Elephant has given us such an incredible opportunity. With this space, we are able to work in an innovative and experimental way that wouldn’t be possible anywhere else. Also, being in proximity to so many artists and creatives has given us a built-in community that provides a comforting amount of support.”
- Donald Ryan, Qrystal Partners
Exhibition view, Small Paintings, by Jai Chunhan. © Qrystal Partners
Activating underutilised spaces has been a cornerstone of Hotel Elephant’s activities since its inception in 2009. These spaces have included, warehouses, doctors' surgeries, a community centre, an old bathhouse and former office buildings. Currently, our Borough SE1 site includes a former sandwich shop, pharmacy and doctor’s surgery, which our members have repurposed for creative production. These new iterations include a gallery and project space, a ceramics studio and a candle-maker’s workshop.
Exhibition view, Small Paintings, by Jai Chunhan. © Qrystal Partners
Hotel Elephant recognises that access to affordable space on flexible terms is key to providing opportunities for creatives to operate within a City world-renowned for its creative industries. Whilst hugely beneficial to those who get to use the spaces, these activities also have a wider benefit. According to the Centre for Retail Research (CRR), the number of permanent shop closures rose by nearly 50% in 2022. For local communities, activating these otherwise shuttered spaces brings a greater sense of place and positive footfall to their high streets. Visitors get to interact with culture and creativity happening on their doorstep, at our Borough site this could include visiting an exhibition at Qyrstal Partners, joining a pottery workshop at Decima Clay or buying a handmade candle or craft item from Oh James!
Exhibition view, Small Paintings, by Jai Chunhan. © Hotel Elephant
About Hotel Elephant
Hotel Elephant is a not-for-profit workspace provider, based in Southwark with over 14 years of experience delivering workspace, exhibition, events and education spaces in the Elephant and Castle. Over the last 14 years, we have built meaningful partnerships with local cultural stakeholders, property owners, community groups, Universities and Schools. Alongside our meanwhile, use provision, we continue to advocate for long-term space for arts, culture and creative enterprise. In 2016 Hotel Elephant launched Spare Street, a dedicated and permanent Creative Enterprise hub in the Elephant and Castle. In the Summer of 2022, Hotel Elephant opened a new site in a former school building, providing high-quality workspaces for artists, makers and creative businesses which are secure for 5 years. Currently, Hotel Elephant has over 175 members across five sites in Southwark.