Victoria Miro opened her eponymous gallery on Cork Street in London in December 1985, at a time when the punk collective The Grey Organisation was protesting the conservative art establishment. To mark the gallery's 40th anniversary, Miro is hosting an exhibition of works by all her artists at her 17,000 sq. ft space in Hoxton, with 23 of them creating new works specifically for the show, including Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Flora Yukhnovich, Elmgreen & Dragset, Chris Ofili, Chantal Joffe, Grayson Perry, and Celia Paul. The article features heartfelt tributes from artists like Isaac Julien, who calls Miro 'a true champion of artists,' and Joffe, who describes the gallery as family.
This anniversary matters because it highlights the enduring, artist-centric model of a gallerist who has quietly shaped the British art scene for four decades, avoiding the flashiness of the YBA movement while nurturing careers from early stages. The exhibition, with many artists creating new works, underscores the deep loyalty and collaborative spirit Miro has fostered, offering a counterpoint to the often transactional nature of the commercial art world. It also reflects the evolution of London's gallery landscape from Cork Street to Hoxton.