OHSH PROJECTS: an interview with Henry Hussey and Sophia Olver
The space you currently have at 106 New Oxford Street is pretty impressive, can you expand on the genesis of this project and what does OHSH stand for?
We were originally inspired to start the project when walking through the streets of Central London during the lockdowns of 2020 and early 2021. We realised that there could be opportunities in the abandoned shop fronts and the general devastation the pandemic caused on the high street. We also felt that it was an opportunity to take back these spaces which had for the past few decades been inaccessible and financially out of reach for most artists and galleries.
Early on in 2021, when most of the world was on pause, we began reaching out to landlords regarding several empty properties we had seen in the city and through our research we found out about the ‘Covid rates relief’ from April – June 2021, which would mean that it would be financially beneficial for landlords to have their spaces occupied.
Finding a space and getting it ready to be used as a gallery happened extremely quickly on reflection, we were lucky that we had the time and energy after the lockdown to react quickly to a changing situation. The programme has also been reactive as we have very short lead times, but this has also meant we can be quite quick footed, creating exhibitions that are really responding to the zeitgeist. For our first show we reached out to artists we knew well and with each show they have grown organically to become a survey of the contemporary art scene in London.
OHSH is an acronym for Olver Hussey Sophia Henry – our initials entwined.
Dreamlands Installation (Sept – Oct 2021)
Economy of Errors Installation/basement (the first exhibition - April 2021)
Still Life Life Still, Installation
Post-Totem Installation May 2022
What were your expectations for this project space?
The intention of the space was to never be commercial in nature and I don’t think that was something we ever aspired to be and why we have always referred to it as a project space. This word is thrown around however we did want the space to be as egalitarian as possible as we want to be able to show work by friends whilst also creating as many opportunities as possible for artists at all levels to show challenging work. Therefore, our shows are typically large group shows of around 15 artists.
A tagline we have had floating around is ‘institution scale on a shoestring budget’, meaning that we try to show the most ambitious work without letting our limited budget be a restriction. We have found that many artists, even established, do not get the opportunity to show certain works due to their size, subject matter or imagery. We aspire for the space to be an opportunity for these kinds of works, that otherwise don’t get shown due to sales implications, and we have found this to be liberating for artists and galleries alike.
‘institution scale on a shoestring budget’ is an excellent tagline. Has the project space and the experience turned out how you imagined?
I think it has exceeded our expectations in terms of momentum as we have seen many galleries come and go and seen those that have tried to make an impact go nowhere. Within the first two shows we had built this sense of momentum with the openings being very busy, the shows being well attended, and supported online by the artist community.
One thing we found, which we hadn’t expected, was for gallerists from high profile galleries to come and see the shows. Perhaps this is due to our central location – it’s really hard to make an excuse not to! This has given the gallerists an opportunity to see works by up-and-coming artists in person and has had a positive impact on the artists career, and it’s an absolute joy to be a part of that journey.
We had an exciting opportunity in the beginning of 2022 to work with a big institution (more of this later) and it was quite comedic to scale up our operation for the project. Up until that point we had been mostly working with emerging artists, but for this show we had almost ten crates arrive, one of which was so large we could not fit it through our temporary door. Working out where to put all the crates required a large amount of ingenuity and a sense of humour as we built a tower of crates in our storage area that would rival Anselm Kiefer.
At times it has been difficult and taxing in ways that we hadn’t expected but we always return to the fact that artists are keen to be in the shows and people are keen to see the shows and not to be motivated would almost be dismissive of their time and investment. Ultimately, we started this project because we wanted to make the most of the opportunities that came out of the destruction of the pandemic, and we feel a responsibility to make the most of the space that we have the good fortune to inhabit.
What are your exhibition perimeters?
The parameters of the exhibitions are large scale group shows in part because the shows are meant to act as an overview or survey of contemporary art now. We’re always open to hearing from artists, especially if they are working with innovative or experimental techniques or themes.
Due to the nature of the space having a previous life it does have some strange components and features, so it does lend itself to showing a range of mediums. With each exhibition we therefore try to feature painting, sculptures, installation, and video. Our space used to be a restaurant, the ground floor being the dining area and the basement being the kitchen. We have only been able to do minor cosmetic changes to the space and have had to embrace the walls and the flooring, including an industrial sized fridge in the basement. For each exhibition we must think quite carefully about how to use these spaces in order to present the artwork in the best way possible.
What’s your manifesto if you have one at all?
In terms of manifesto, I would say that the guiding principle of the space is ‘anti-agenda’ - the space is not interested in identity politics or virtue signalling, the exhibitions consist of artists who we believe make good work regardless of their sex, race, gender, sexuality, nationality, disability or the varying ways we can divide someone into their constituent parts. We ask ourselves: is the work good, we want to show the work; and that is as far as the conversation goes. There is no agenda behind the decisions as the work needs to stand up by itself and be considered on its own merits.
Also on a day-to-day practical level how does it work? You both have other lives to be getting on with…
We do have other lives outside of OHSH – when we started the project we were offered a lease of only 3 weeks, we have now had the space for over a year, which was entirely unpredictable. We are lucky to have had support from friends and family to keep the project going, but it is entirely self-funded.
Henry is a practicing artist, represented by Anima Mundi, St Ives and has been making and exhibiting work concurrently, sometimes even having openings on the same night as openings at OHSH! Henry also works in production for APSARA Studio – he was responsible for the Projecto Ultravioleta’s Edgar Calel booth at Frieze London in October 2021, sourcing a tonne of rocks from Sussex and fruit from Brixton Market.
Sophia has worked in marketing and communications for almost a decade and until recently was the Head of Marketing and Communications at AORA – a virtual art space focussed on wellness. She has now taken on the role of Director of Programmes at Platform Earth, an environmental charity focused on fundraising through the arts for climate change initiatives, specifically marine carbon capture.
Within the first couple of shows we got a sense of rhythm, the space is now open on Saturdays and by appointment, each show is at least five weeks long, giving people as much time as possible to see the shows.
Have you at any point regretted making a rod for your own back?
OHSH has become its own living entity, the running of the space takes a lot of time and energy – as soon as one show is open, we must start planning for the next. For this reason, we really enjoy working with artists we know and who we have developed a friendship with – we are partners, so we are working on OHSH in the evenings and on the weekends thus the process has to be enjoyable and collaborative, and hopefully with a community spirit.
What have you learnt?
The space has tested every aspect of being in the art world and has given us a high tolerance for stress and unpredictable situations. When things do not go exactly to plan, we do not panic – instead we look at what’s at hand and figure out a way to sort it out. Since opening the space we have been working in the shadow of Covid, so each exhibition has been stressful and unpredictable, especially in December 2021 when so many people came down with Covid and it looked like we might be going into another lockdown. But even so, we have been able to continue with our programming, even finding a way to scale up and work at an institution/museum standard. In March 2021 we worked with IKON Gallery, Birmingham in collaboration with APSARA Studio and Silverlens Galleries, and we found the experience an enlightening challenge. The exhibition, a solo show by Thai artist Mit Jai Inn, took over the ground floor, covering the floor and walls with ‘Midlands Dwelling’ (2021), Mit’s expression of his love for painting in oil, pigment and glue on over eleven metres canvas.
Mit-Jai-Inn Installation installation 2022
Aren’t artists a nightmare to work with?
I do think the main issues with artists, in fact everyone regardless of profession, is that we all like to feel that we are the hero of our narrative and sometimes we are not, sometimes we are just one of the supporting cast. So, when curating a show, artists need to remember it’s an ensemble act and they are players – it’s how the cast works together to form the show and we are never showing favouritism when an artist gets a ‘better’ position, wall space or lightning; it is what is the best for the show.
Very diplomatic ! What does the future hold?
We have the space for the foreseeable future, but I think we will continue to be reactive and quick footed. People often ask if we are looking for another space, and the answer is no. We are a happy with the current agreement and the landlords have been supportive, so when it comes to the time when we must leave, we will see what organically happens rather than forcing it, in the hope that OHSH will be able to continue as an intuitive entity.
Becky Tucker - Gambrel, 2022, Glazed stoneware, faux syede, wood, steel, 180 x 140 x 60cm
Justin Mortimer, Djinn II, 2015, Oil on canvas, 40.5 x 30 cm
Jo Dennis, Is Dad Home, 2021, Oil, household, acrylic and spray paint on found object; Army surplus tent, 240 x 370 cm