Martello Paintclub: a group painting show

5 – 14 Sep 2025, Fri – Sun, 12 – 6pm
Free and all welcome
SPACE Pop-Up, 129-131 Mare Street, London E8 3RH

Opening event: Thu 4 Sep, 6 – 8pm
Closing drinks: Sun 14 Sep, 4 – 6pm
Exhibition open Fri – Sun, 12 – 6pm

Open Paintclub meet up: Fri 12 Sep 6 – 8pm

This exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists who share two things: a love of painting and a common geography. All of Martello Paintclub’s participants are practitioners whose primary medium is painting and are based in or around SPACE’s Martello Street studios. SPACE, founded by artists Bridget Riley and Peter Sedgley in 1968, is London’s oldest studios provider. 

The idea for the show grew out of a monthly gathering of painters under the title Paintclub that was set up in 2024 by artist Polly Townsend and is held at Martello Street studios. Paintclub’s broad remit is to bring painters together to share and discuss interesting things around the ideas and practice of painting. While the discussions are wide and varied (from shows we’ve seen to tips on how to do something) the ultimate aim of Paintclub is to encourage and support painting practitioners to make work.

Exhibiting artists include Anna D’avanzo, Askheim Melsom, Bernard Debaillie, Cat Phillipps, Emily Tracy, Erik Rehl, Esfandiar Ahmadi, Hervé Constant, Hugh Mendes, Isha Bøhling, Jenny Gordon, Kelly Sweeney, Kim Bennett, Levan Tozashvili, Lisa Rigg, Nicola Hepworth, Paul Murphy, Polly Townsend, Riitta Hakkarainen, and Zoe Benbow.