Avalanche 1970 - 1976 curated by Lisa Le Feuvre. invitation card

Director Donald Smith has designed the exhibition programme so that it would be divided between the shows that he curates and those by invited curators working on new projects made especially for CHELSEA space. This invitation to particular curators is an exploration of curatorial practice, to examine different approaches and to encourage guest curators to be experimental and explicitly describe their process through the exhibition itself.

CHELSEA space Assistants under the sign for 'A Riot of Our Own' curated by Carol Tulloch, Syd Shelton, and Ruth Gregory

'When Marcel Met Motley' curated by Sophie Jump with Jane Won

This part of the CHELSEA space programme - a partial snap shot of curating - has the unwritten subtitle Curating the Curators

private view for 'Dematerialsed: Jack Wendler Gallery 1971-1974' curated by Teresa Gleadowe

The invited curators work closely with Donald to create exhibitions that hopefully give them opportunities to work on projects that may not otherwise be realised and give us insights into their interests and approaches to curatorial practice.

Ready Steady Go! curated by Susan Holder and Arpna Gupta

Curators are encouraged to take into account the ethos and architecture of CHELSEA space but, knowing that we exist on very limited budgets, they are always very generous with their energies and are extremely understanding of our financial predicament always giving more than we could possibly afford and helping us constantly punch above our weight.

'With Words Like Smoke' curated by Isobel Harbison

As part of CHELSEA space’s pedagogic exploration we adopted the practice of naming guest curators on the printed invitation, press release, and on the signage on the outside of the building.

The Affirmation curated by Andrew Hunt

This is very much part of CHELSEA space’s open approach; our guest curators have always been uncomfortable with the idea of being foregrounded but they understand how we try to expose process and they have shown incredible generosity and trust in going along with us on this.

private view for 'Process: The Working Practices of Barney Bubbles' curated by Paul Gorman

The academic study of the histories, theories, and practices of curating is still relatively recent and there is no definitive way to teach, learn, or do, by naming invited curators we hope to humbly add something to the archive of curatorial practice and surrounding debates. But it is also true that, whether its art, design, writing, performing or curating, CHELSEA space likes to celebrate people. Thanks to everybody who has contributed so brilliantly and generously to the programme at CHELSEA space - We salute you!

Aphasic Disturbance curated by Stephen Bury