Hollow Contemporary Art; Creation of a Gallery Space

Tucked away above a restaurant on Islington's busy Upper Street, the unassuming frontage of Hollow Contemporary Art belies the ambition of its owner. Set up in 2005 by James Bradshaw, artist and entrepreneur, Hollow Contemporary Art is a case study in hard work. More artist run space than commercial showroom, the gallery offers young and fledgling artists a chance to exhibit in a prime London location, providing much sought after display space and publicity. Despite its name, Hollow is full of potential. 'There was a definite concept behind the creation of the gallery. I wanted a brand name, something recognisable, almost like a corporate identity, something that would suggest one thing but mean actually another, something undefined. Hollow. It's a nice word, just on the ear, but it also has a provocative edge. It can refer to the space of the gallery but more subversively it can be applied to the art, an ironic comment on the popular denunciation of contemporary practice as devoid of talent or meaning.'

There are clear affinities to be drawn between Bradshaw's own production and the Hollow Gallery. Just as the name belies the quality of the contents, so the simplistic appearance of Bradshaw's own paintings conceal more complex themes within. Running the gamut of human emotions, Bradshaw addresses such universal issues as life, death, love and religion in an accessible style that allows each viewer room to project personal meaning onto the works. Deploying wry humour to tackle poignant subjects, Bradshaw makes good use of the one liner to ensnare the viewer with his sardonic wit.

Occupying a position as both gallery owner and artist may allow Bradshaw a personal platform to exhibit his art, but such ambition comes at a price. 'I want to be recognised for my pictures, that's important to me, but all this extra work does detract from my own production. I had a reasonable exhibition history but it's really fallen away this last year because I'm not able to pursue the same opportunities that I could before. It does frustrate me, but at the same time I wanted to get the space up and running. It was a very charitable gesture in a way. I wanted to provide opportunities for artists to show and put on shows and I help them as much as I can by providing space, mailing lists, contacts and so on. I wanted to result to be a collaborative effort in terms of getting more artists involved in the space on a long-term basis and getting them to put in their time to help a community of artists. It sounds a bit hippy-crappy but was the genuine idea!'

His sentiments may be philanthropic but Bradshaw is also canny enough to have turned Hollow to his advantage, using the gallery space for an exhibition of his own art. Painfully aware of how a solo show in his gallery may appear, he ironically titled the exhibit Ego, thereby deflecting any criticism that may come his way. 'It was a very narcissistic thing to do and was something that I battled with. I don't want it to appear as if I have an inflated ego - it really isn't the case. That was why I named the show as I did.'

Graduating from Winchester in 2003 where he undertook both his BA and MA in fine art, Bradshaw has wasted no time setting up shop. Never shy of hard work the artist held down full time employment throughout his degree and continues to work externally to the gallery today. 'All through my MA I had a night job. I'd work from eight in the evening until about eight in the morning when I'd go into college. I'd stay there until the afternoon by which time I would collapse into bed for a few hours before starting it all again. I learned a lot at Winchester, including how to go without sleep! I think I've continued the pace too!' Now working for a firm of solicitors by day, Bradshaw may be able to pay the bills but such toil has its disadvantages. 'Unfortunately there's little money in art. In order to be a full time artist, I have to promote my own work and run Hollow on top of the office job. It really is just a means to an end, as without the law firm, the gallery wouldn't exist. It needs backing from somewhere to stay up and running and that backing is me!'

While many aspiring artists would find a full time job enough to cope with when trying to produce their own work, Bradshaw maintains Hollow single-handedly as well. 'I'm of a character whereby I just prefer to get stuff done. Rather than waiting for everything to click neatly into place I'd rather bash the square peg into the round hole. I'm always pulling at the reins, eager to get stuff done.'

'I think working hard has really formed my art practice. The tedium of a full time job leaves me a lot of time to consider things, although little time to produce. A lot of my work just sits there, some of which has been conceptualized over two years, despite the fact that it only takes five minutes to make!' Leaving only a few marks on the canvas, Bradshaw's simplistic line drawings maintain a faux naivety that conceals the deeper meaning within. Touching and tender, his simplistic markings may be made in haste but are far from under-developed - their rudimentary form a crucial part of their charm. 'My art is very personal to me. It's never been about the commercial side of things. If I were stuck on a desert island with no one around to see it, I would still produce work. It is not about sales or the opinions of others. It's about catharsis.'

It is precisely this philosophical view that has allowed Bradshaw to roll with the punches of the business world too. Hollow Contemporary Art will soon be forced to move locations, due to developmental requirements of the current landlord. 'The gallery will definitely be moving at some point next year, although I couldn't give an exact date yet. I'm very confident that Hollow can make the transition to another space. The gallery has generated a reasonable following since its conception, people are aware of what I do now, of what exists and how I work. I think that over the space of five shows, which is how many Hollow has staged so far, I've managed to create a good brand that is strong enough to carry over into the next stage. The gallery is still in the early stages of development but I'm optimistic for the way things are going. I have plans for the future but it's definitely going to be an organic process.'

Watch this space.

Open between Sat - Sun 12am to 5pm or by appointment the Hollow Gallery: http://www.hollowgallery.com

A complete list of James Bradshaw's work can be found at: http://www.hollowgallery.com/james_bradshaw.html