The Fine Art Society was founded in 1876 by a group of knowledgeable art collectors. Comprising of a five storey town house in Mayfair, it is the oldest gallery in London. Since its inception the gallery has always championed and worked directly with living artists, giving The Camden Town Group their first show and holding historic shows that have since entered the canon of art history. It is at this location that Whistler invented the concept of a solo exhibition and introduced evenly spaced installations against pale walls – a precursor for every contemporary gallery today. Today the gallery is a leader in Modern British art with a team of specialists who have previously worked at auction houses and museums.

The Contemporary Gallery was established in 2005 and the new 1,000 square foot space added a progressive dimension to the already prestigious and established history of the gallery whilst retaining independent programming. 2012 marks a new era; contemporary will be more joined up to its twentieth and nineteenth century heritage and increase cross-cultural links, particularly in Asia. Exciting artists have joined the gallery’s core stable and these are complimented by internationally recognized artists who participate in critically engaged survey shows. Kate Bryan is Head of Contemporary who works with Robert Owen, the Gallery Manager.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm, Sat: 11am-4pm, closed on Sundays and public holidays, and Saturdays through August