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 Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery

The Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space run by Kent County Council to showcase new and experimental work from local artists. The gallery shows quality artwork which hopes to raise the profile of art in West Kent and provide the opportunity for the local community to experience diverse work. 

Situated under the same roof as the library and museum, the traditional boundaries between these three facilities are broken down to encourage users of one to explore the others. The programme of exhibitions for 2011 seeks to explore the nature of the role to be played by such a space, and a series of three open call group exhibitions will:

  • address the importance of serving a local community whilst questioning the nature of what it is to be local in an increasingly global society
  • look at the need for physical space for display of contemporary artworks and the evolving nature of the displays to be found in these spaces
  • explore the differences between the temporary nature of exhibit in the gallery compared to long term care and archival roles of museum and library.

Current Exhibition

Beta Version 2.0

19 January – 10 March 2012

Beta Version 2.0 expands on some of the questions raised by the previous show, "Exhibition: Beta”. The contemporary art space operates without permanent collection or archive to set the context, but instead offers fleeting glimpses at experimental works. Reflective of what is current, work can be valid without longevity.

Beta Version 2.0 looks at the contemporary art exhibition as a temporary collection, with work that addresses the transience or otherwise of current practice, and explores the relationship between collection and curation; in particular the roles played by artist, curator and audience in creating work for display.

As part of this show Dan Simpson is asking twitter users to contribute lines for a poem about 'curating a collection'. He will collate all responses into a poem and will perform at the opening of the exhibition at 6:45pm on 19 January. Contributions can be made on twitter #collectedpoem

The exhibition is free to visitors.

Exhibiting Artists: Bridgette Ashton, Diane Dever, Ruth Geldard, Toby Huddlestone, Pavilion, Angus Pryor, Dan Simpson, Mark J Smith.

The Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery is a contemporary space run by Kent County Council to show new work from established and emerging Kent artists. The gallery sits alongside the library and museum within the Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope building. The museum is currently showing an exhibition of personal collections.

Buckhurst Lane, Sevenoaks, TN13 1LQ 
kaleidoscope@kent.gov.ukToby Huddlestone - Beta Exhibition

Toby Huddlestone.

“Actions in Galleries No.26: Doing a roly-poly in Can Altay’s EY AHALI!/Setting a Setting/Letting a Setting Go at Spike Island, 29.10.07”.

Photographic documentation of action, 2007.

Photo credit: Anton Goldenstein.

Contact us

Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery
Buckhurst Lane,
Sevenoaks,
TN13 1LQ

01732 453118

kaleidoscope @kent.gov.uk