Arts | Ox Warehouse to be evicted by year-end

Alternative art gallery Ox Warehouse will be evicted from its current site on Avenida do Coronel Mesquita by the end of the year, the association’s exhibition curator, Gigi Lee, told the Times this week.

The venue, which is now owned by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), has been leased to Ox Warehouse for approximately 14 years.

“Now, because of a change of policy, they are retaking the venue,” said Lee. “I’m not sure exactly why; the [IC] have not sent out any documents yet.”

“We have until the end of this year to move everything out, [and so] after October we will not have any more exhibitions,” she said. “We are trying to look for another place [but] we still have to stop [exhibiting] for some time.”

“It is a bit of a shame because we have been running for 14 years,” added Lee. “I think we are the only association open for exhibiting experimental art on a large scale. Of course some other associations are doing a lot of exhibitions, but not the same type of art as us.”

Lee believes that the IC will open a tender process for a new tenant at the association’s current site, but admitted that this has not yet been announced.

She also said that Ox Warehouse would struggle to find a large space in the territory suitable for their needs.

 DB