Cork Street in London's Mayfair district, a historic hub for commercial art, is celebrating its centenary with a collaborative group show involving 15 galleries. The exhibition is inspired by a controversial 1938 Jean Cocteau work, "La peur donnant des ailes au courage," which was deemed obscene by British authorities and only shown in a back office at Peggy Guggenheim's gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, after her petitions. Participating galleries include Stephen Friedman Gallery, Alon Zakaim Fine Art, and Goodman Gallery, with works by artists like Caroline Coon, Shirin Neshat, and others, curated by Tarini Malik.
This centenary celebration matters because it underscores Cork Street's renewed vitality and collaborative spirit after periods of market fluctuation. In recent years, major contemporary galleries such as Goodman Gallery, Stephen Friedman, Tiwani Contemporary, and Alison Jacques have moved in, achieving full occupancy and fostering a sense of community. The event also highlights Cork Street's historical role as a site for avant-garde and controversial art, from Dada and Surrealism to punk collectives, reaffirming its position as a beating heart of London's art scene.