This year marks the end of an era for several iconic venues. Early in the year, we said goodbye to the OD Gallery and The Secret Garden followed last week. However, the most significant farewell is to the GO Gallery, which has been a cornerstone in the street- and urban art community for over a quarter of a century. The vibrant social gatherings like exhibitions, launch events, and dinners will be missed by all who experienced them. Founders Oscar van der Voorn and Farud Cambatta plan to keep the gallery’s spirit alive but without a physical location.
The story of the GO Gallery began in 1995 when Oscar van der Voorn, the driving force behind the GO Gallery, launched his first initiative called the Kunst Supermarkt. This exhibition featured six street artists who later emerged as pioneers of the current street art scene, including Dadara and Ottograph. At the time, Oscar was working in a gallery but longed to open one himself. Meeting his life partner Farud around the same time, the duo, along with a friend seeking office space, stumbled upon a beautiful gallery location on the Prinsengracht. In 1997, Oscar’s vision came to life with the opening of his own space, cleverly named GO Gallery, with “GO” standing for “Gallery Oscar.” But it wasn’t until 2002 that the first real ‘street art’ show was organized, a politically and socially charged exhibition making a statement about the war in Kuwait.
Bringing art from the street to a gallery wasn’t an easy task. Fellow gallery owners gave them the cold shoulder, artists delivered their work in the cheapest frames, and street art, overall, wasn’t financially lucrative enough to keep the gallery running. Additionally, some street artists were not keen on displaying their art in a gallery at all. However, swimming against the current comes naturally to pioneers. Slowly, the GO Gallery became a living room for the street art community, with young artists coming in to seek advice and connect. Art lovers and collectors easily found the gallery to see who was the next big thing, all while Oscar and Farud continued to host various, more fruitful art shows.
In 2010, Jarno stepped into the GO Gallery, armed with an ambitious idea to launch a street art festival but lacking the know-how. Noticing a growing interest in street art, he found a willing partner in the GO Gallery. They backed the festival and Amsterdam Street Art was born moments later. It was a fruitful partnership, with the GO Gallery’s experience on one side and ASA’s direct access to young street artists on the other. Their collaboration enabled the GO to tap into a broader network of artists, shifting the gallery’s focus primarily to street art exhibitions.
Over the years they have organized many different exhibitions spanning from innovative and experimental to highly successful. Initially, they focused on themed exhibitions, inviting multiple artists to explore and interpret a central theme. These exhibitions created a reputation for the GO Gallery of versatility. One notable example of success that followed that formula is their annual “A Tribute To… ” exhibition. Every year during Pride Month, they organize this exhibition, featuring the work of more than 40 artists with a unified theme centered around a notable person. Over the years they started focusing more on individual artist shows. This gave a deeper look into the creative journeys of well-known artists, like The London Police, who have been exhibiting in the gallery since 2002. These kinds of art shows not only reflected how artists evolved but also -demonstrated the gallery’s commitment to building long-term relationships with its creative community.
Oscar and Farud have always strategically organized all sorts of events to draw a diverse audience to the gallery. Including, tastings, presentations, parties, and dinners. For a while, their Thursday evening dinner was number one on the shortlist of top fun activities in Amsterdam. Bringing people together and cultivating connections has always been the driving force behind all their events and undertakings. In 2017, the GO Gallery relocated from the charming Prinsengracht to a modern space on Marnixstraat. This move marked a new chapter and a fresh approach for the gallery. The new location being in a less busy part of Amsterdam, created room to go more in-depth with artists. The Gallery quickly became a vital part of the neighborhood. Above the gallery were apartments for elderly residents, who were soon regularly invited to the gallery for a drink or a good bowl of soup. Yet another example of how the GO Gallery always strives to connect and bring people together.
But now, the GO Gallery is closing its physical doors. It is time for new beginnings. When asked about their future plans, Oscar and Farud admit they are not entirely sure what comes next. However, they have always thrived on spontaneity, rarely planning more than six months ahead. We are filled with curiosity to see what is next!
