Soho Revue Gallery on Greek Street
(Picture: Handout)Soho heiress India Rose James says her new Greek Street gallery is part of an attempt to bring a “creative buzz” back to central London.
The 30-year-old millionaire granddaughter of Paul Raymond, dubbed the King of Soho, said running the Soho Revue Gallery which sells the work of emerging artists was her “calling”.
She said: “It is such a beautiful building and it has Soho and James on it so it felt so perfect.”
Her grandfather built his fortune publishing pornography and owned a string of nightclubs in Soho which grew into a vast property empire. By the time of his death in 2008 he had left a multi-million pound fortune to India and her sister Fawn.
The four-storey gallery, which opens today, will have its own artist in residence and also offer life-drawing classes and other events as well as exhibitions.
James said: “Art is where it started. The artists worked in Soho back in the day and we want to bring that back, the creativity that fuelled the vibe of Soho.
“Artists are being forced to go further and further out of central London and they don’t get to show in the West End as much as they used to so my goal is to bring that back and have that creative buzz.”
James said the gallery’s location and prices — with works selling for as little as £200 – would attract younger collectors.
She said: “It’s nicer because emerging artists are an area they can feel involved in, whereas you go to the big bluechip galleries and you have no chance. I struggle with bigger galleries. It doesn’t feel as inclusive whereas we are a lot more accommodating.”
