The Smallest Gallery in Soho presents a new installation by London/Barcelona based artist Brickflats.
Usually you can see a brickflat on various streets in London and around the world. The same ethos for our gallery when happening upon it in passing.
Recycling over a tonne of waste in using 500 low carbon sustainable bricks (K-Briqs) by Kenoteq, the artist will implant their ten ‘brickflats’ into a wall or column (depending on what they end up with when experimenting with the installation) to project their view of the worldwide housing situation. Where overinflated prices have given most people making a standard living no real options to buy or at times rent.
These little brickflats with their inhabitants are handcrafted stories that play on the global housing market. The Design of the flats always makes sure that the inhabitants are fairly uncomfortable with the size of their housing.
While the situations depicted always have a sombre undertone — the brickflat's colours, design and the fact it looks like a toy also intend to make finding a brickflat in the urban wild a fun moment of discovery.
Titles of each brickflat:
brickflat #01: Inner Wild Growth
brickflat #02: Instructions Unclear
brickflat #03: Squash and Stretch
brickflat #04: Public Transport Housing
brickflat #05: Work, Eat, Sleep, Repeat
brickflat #06: Keith's Sardines
brickflat #07: Upgrade
brickflat #08: Break Out
brickflat #09: Garage Tetris
brickflat #10: Minor Tilt
Artist statement:
I don't know about you, but I think the worldwide housing situation is a joke.
Overinflated with no real options for those making a standard living — not able to save enough or have help from family — to buy, let alone rent in this current market. So I decided to join the enemy: greedy real estate developers.
Damaged walls seemed like territory that no-one has claimed yet. I use these holes in walls as building space for my own little flats. These little brickflats with their inhabitants are handcrafted stories that play on the global housing market. The Design of the flats always makes sure that the inhabitants are fairly uncomfortable with the size of their housing.
While the situations depicted always have a sombre undertone — the brickflat's colours, design and the fact it looks like a toy also intend to make finding a brickflat in the urban wild a fun moment of discovery. Every brickflat is bespoke and tries to fit into the surroundings thematically as well as aesthetically. No wall is ever damaged in the process of installing a brickflat — the aim is always to repair the wall while providing a piece of public art.
Brickflats started in March 2021, Stoke Newington, London and has since expanded to 8 different countries. A miniature real estate project that aims to claim a monopoly over all housing in its market niche. The niches in crumbling brick-walls.
instagram.com/brickflats
brickflats@proton.me
