SOUTH LONDON ART GALLERY
William Rossiter (1831-1897) was apprenticed as a trunk maker but, after attending classes at the Working Men’s College in Great Ormond Street, became a teacher and published several textbooks. He established the South London Working Men’s College on Blackfriars Road in 1868 and in 1878, he opened up two rooms in his house to the public and lent books from his own collection. The following year art exhibitions began to take place; aimed at working men and women these were always open on Sundays. In 1882 the college, free library and art gallery formally merged to become the South London Fine Art Gallery and Free Library. Rossiter bought Portland House on Peckham Road in 1889 to build a permanent home for the gallery in the grounds of the house. The South London Art Gallery opened on 4 May 1891, showing a changing programme of fine and applied arts. A collection soon began from works donated by artists and subscribers to the Gallery. John Passmore Edwards (1823-1911), journalist, newspaper owner and philanthropist, funded many public galleries, libraries, and hospitals, including a Lecture Hall and Library at the South London Art Gallery. He also paid for the art school next to the gallery to be built now called Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts. The gallery’s permanent collection houses more than five thousand paintings, prints and sculpture ranging from the 16th century to the present day. 20th century artists represented include John Egerton Christmas Piper (1903-1992), Duncan James Corrowr Grant (1885-1978), Christopher Wood (1901-1930), Marc Camille Chaimowicz (1947-2024), Tracey Emin (1963-), Antony Gormley (1950-), Anish Kapoor (1954-), and Mark Wallinger (1959-). Over the years major retrospective exhibitions of related artists have been held at the gallery. These include William Menzies Coldstream, Anthony John Plowden Eyton (born 17 May 1923), Martin Bloch (1883-1954) and Mario Peter Dubsky (1939-1985). In October 2003 South London Art Gallery became an independent charitable which is now looked after by Southwark Culture and Heritage Services. Suffolk artists who exhibited at the South London Art Gallery include Jeffery Camp, Peter Coker, Graham Giles, John Bedloe Goddard, Margaret Green, Gil Mutch, Julie Noad and Ann Oakley.
see also London Gallery.