Soho streets and alleys turned into new permanent art gallery

A collection of little-used streets and alleyways off London's Oxford Street have been transformed into a new permanent art gallery.

Ramilies Street, Ramilies Place and Hill Place have now become the Soho Photography Quarter.

The free display has been created by The Photographers' Gallery, which plans to change the works twice a year.

The first exhibition, called Being Human Human Being, features art by Dr Christian Thompson AO.

The pedestrianised space includes a 45m-long (148ft) frieze, banners hanging across streets, projections and soundscapes, all created by the Indigenous Australian contemporary artist.

Talks, presentations and short films are also planned to take place in the space.

The exhibition is part of the UK/Australia Season 2021-22, the largest ever cultural exchange between the two nations presented jointly by the Australian government and the British Council.

Speaking about the images on display, Thompson said he had sought "to highlight both the legacies of colonialism and the complexity of human identities, while simultaneously alluding to the multifaceted and layered histories of the precinct".

He added he was "delighted" his work had been used to launch the outdoor gallery.

The Photographers' Gallery's director, Brett Rogers, said the new space "represents the realisation of a long-awaited vision to transform the public area... into a welcoming, prominent cultural and social destination".

Being Human Human Being will run until December.

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