“Join us for Open Weekend 17-19th May 2019!” exclaim the spokespeople or a spokesperson for Chisenhale. Open studios are always a worth exploring, especially places like Chisenhale that have history on the walls and artists with tales to tell – take yourself to some Organ coverage and a bag load of imagery from a previous Chisenhale open weekend –  “Each year, Chisenhale Dance Space, Chisenhale Gallery and Chisenhale Studios open the doors of our shared building for a free weekend of open studios, tours, exhibitions, performance and events. Everyone is welcome to join us”.  (*Evening performances at Chisenhale Dance Space are ticketed events). Here’s the schedule so far (although the Chisenhale people say more events are to be added). Actually it isn’t really about the formal gallery shows or the scheduled events as much as the poking around the very private working spaces that the best studio spaces are, seeing where an artists work,  how he or she works, the smell of oil paint, the glorious mess, the accidental marks on her floors. The history of older studio spaces like Chisenhale or the original Space studios or some of the places just about hanging on over in Hackney Wick add to it all, do take a look at some of those old photos on the wall at Chisendale.

161: Lee Turner’s studio, Chisenhale Studios (2017)

The schedule   :

Friday 17th May 6-9pm
Studios: Artist studios are all open, plus Lost and Found Out, a collection of everyday evidence and found material curated by Charlotte and Charlotte during their residency at Victoria Park. And Your Head, Mind, an event-exhibition by artist and poet Josh Leon in collaboration with artist Luli Perez.
Gallery: A presentation of the new commission and first solo exhibition in an institution by London-based artist Mandy El-Sayegh. For more info see gallery website
Dance Space:  Performance: ‘Snakes’ Jia-Yu Corti & Owen Ridley-DeMonick 7:30pm | £7.50 | Book Online

Chisenhale Open Studios, East London, October 2017 – Kevin Harrison

Saturday 18th May  Studios 1-6pm:
Artists studios are all  open plus  Lost and Found Out, a collection of everyday evidence and found material curated by Charlotte and Charlotte during their residency at  Victoria Park.  1.30-4.30pm Guided Studio tours with a five minute intro to each artist/studio.  You can join at any point, just ask at front reception on arrival if you’d like to know current location.
Gallery 12-6pm:A presentation of the new commission and first solo exhibition in an  institution by London-based artist Mandy El-Sayegh. For more info see Chisenhale Gallery website
2-4pm  Grrrl Zine Fair will lead a workshop in zine-making and drawing for children aged 5 – 11 years, and their parents or carers, in response to the exhibition. For more info see Gallery website.

Dance Space: 1.15-2pm A free taster event of the popular fun, creative kids class.  No experience, or tutus, necessary. Ages 5-9. More Info
4-5pm  Free Improvision workshop with Lewys Holt and Eleanor Sikorski who will guide participants through a workshop devoted to improvision.  Ages 18+  for more Info see Chisenhale Dance Space website.  7.30pm Performance: Roadhouse  Hosted by Eleanor Sikorski and Lewys Holt £7.50 | Book Online

Chisenhale Open Studios, East London, October 2017, Nigel O’Neill

Sunday 19th May
Studios 1-6pm: – Artists studios are all  open plus  Lost and Found Out, a collection of everyday evidence and found material curated by Charlotte and Charlotte during their residency at  Victoria Park.  And John Peter Askew will have his new book We available in his studio,  with a special reading at 4.45pm from artist and writer Felicity Allen of Psycho-Neurological Poem in 3 Parts, her new work that gives a contrasting perspective of Russian contemporary life.
Gallery 12-6pm:  A presentation of the new commission and first solo exhibition in an institution by London-based artist Mandy El-Sayegh. For more info see Chisenhale Gallery website.

Chisenhale Art Place is at 64-84 Chisenhale Road, London, E3 5QZ.

Chisenhale Open Studios, East London, October 2017 – Alicia Paz

PREVIOUSLY – ORGAN THING: Exploring East London’s Chisenhale Art Place, why artist studio open days are so vitally important… – Open days at artist’s studios are almost always worth exploring. True, the artists do tend to clean things up just a little too much to give you the really truthful honest full-on paint-encrusted deal – those carefully placed books designed to impress, that pile of music there to casually catch your eye, and yes they… read on

Chisenhale Open Studios, East London, October 2017, Di Livey