Project Space Leeds

I can’t make my mind up about this space. On the one hand I think its great that there is a contemporary art venue in Leeds that is fully engaged in the visual art discourse on a local and national level. It is refreshing to see an independent space that is run by artists, for artists.
They host some cutting edge exhibitions and events but on the other hand I have found some of these and the work in them, unaccessible, visually and intellectually. I don’t let this bother me too much though and am always willing to see new exhibitions. My favorite so far has to be 195 Miles, on a couple of years ago. The artist Janis Rafailidou had a live horse as part of her installation in the gallery during the opening event. The space is open only during exhibitions so be sure to check what’s on before you wander along the canal. Its not a hugely convenient place to get to but there probably isn’t a space like it to be found in a city centre building. It exists on the ground floor of a recent high-​rise development and is perfectly warehouse-​like for a contemporary gallery, I mean project space.

Project Space Leeds, or PSL, is an independent, artist-​led contemporary art space. Located in the basement of the Whitehall Waterfront complex, it is barely a five minute detour out of the city centre in the newly billed West End of Leeds. But what an interesting meander it oft turns out to be.
The art space was founded in 2006 by a few curators, working alongside a local property developer. It stages exhibitions of ‘modern and contemporary art across all art forms.‘
During a recent visit to the gallery, I was fortunate enough to be able to browse the current exhibition. Entitled ‘I Can Still See You’, artist Diane Howse has combined a number of film stills and home movie footage to display and examine the intricacies of British life during World War II. The images are poignant at times, incredibly moving, and occasionally merely informative. Images depicting details of war which are now alien to our modern eyes, such as gas masks and equipment, are extremely intriguing, a reminder to what has preceded our existence.
Supported by the Arts Council and Leeds City Council, art is sold commercially at PSL, and would be an original addition to the home. With a venue so dedicated to enabling local talent to flourish whilst putting the gallery on the national and international radar, Project Space Leeds does a fantastic job within the artistic community.