Lights of Soho presents 'City Lights'

LIGHTS OF SOHO REOPENS WITH GROUP EXHIBITION ‘CITY LIGHTS’

Following a complete refurbishment, Lights of Soho, London’s newest art gallery and member’s lounge, will launch on 28 May, operating as a cultural hub for Soho’s creative community and the global home of creative neon and light art formats. The gallery located on Brewer Street, will also offer food and drink developed in conjunction with Michelin-starred chef Mark Hix, a member’s lounge and an online art shop.

Lights of Soho will bring together established and next generation artists as well as a programme of film, fashion and music events for its members.

City Lights

After an immensely successful soft launch period, the gallery will launch with a five-week group exhibition, ‘City Lights’.

‘City Lights’ will bring together an extensive mix of reputable and distinguished light art artists, alongside the up and coming. As the first show to feature both Tracey Emin and the late Chris Bracey, it will be an iconic moment with two pioneers in neon art placed side-by-side in a major exhibition. Tracey Emin, states, “Lights of Soho is doing something exceptional. People take neon for granted bit it’s a dying craft. There are many new ways of lightning up the town but it’s nice to be able to see and concentrate on the old traditional methods.”

‘City Lights’ is inspired by the feelings of excitement and possibility when encountering ‘the new’.

With the support of renowned artists, Lights of Soho will pave the way for a creative club in the heart of London.

Artists exhibiting in ‘City Lights’ include: Tracey Emin, Gavin Turk, Chris Levine, Chris Bracey, Christian Furr, Rob & Nick Carter, Rob Montgomery, Angela Palmer, Dianne Harris, Victoria Grant, Kerry Ryan, Alex Randall, Tom Wilkinson, Aphra Shemza, Natasha Archdale, Toni Gallagher, Lauren Baker, Rococo Wonderland, Anna Lomax, Dijon Hierlehy, Mike Booth, Diana Chire, Rupert Newman and Josef O’Connor.

Lights of Soho

In addition to the gallery space and member’s lounge, Lights of Soho will provide a daytime meeting space for Soho’s cultural connectors, influencers & creative community. Hamish Jenkinson, Art Curator at Lights of Soho and former Artistic Director of the Old Vic Tunnels states;

“With Soho changing at such a rapid rate, it’s a great privilege to bring together so many fantastic artists, working together to ensure Soho’s creative legacy is upheld long into the future. If we can capture a little of the magic the old Colony Rooms created, we will have done a great thing.”

Embracing Soho’s history, Lights of Soho will reflect the architecture and antiquity of the venue in its décor. Once an old porn shop, the venue hosts a secret basement that previously housed a brothel, and will now feature private tables that offer the same sense of mystery found in Soho’s past. As Sir Michael Caine said during the soft launch, “it’s very Soho.”

‘City Lights’ will be run from 28 May – 5 July, with new exhibitions and events to be announced.