HOUSE OF BANDITS: REDEFINING ACCESS TO THE ART WORLD
This October, Sarabande Foundation’s House of Bandits returns to Selfridges, bringing paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture and more to the department store’s Duke Street entrance during Frieze London. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic, House of Bandits was created to support artists who were unable to show their work in galleries or reach collectors. Five years later, its philosophy remains rooted in discovery, accessibility and creative independence. Featuring work by current studio residents and alumni including Daisy Collingridge, George Wilkin, Rizza Zahid and Jack Laver, the Selfridges presentation offers audiences an opportunity to encounter artists whose practices challenge conventional creative trajectories. With prices displayed and artists available to speak about their work, the gallery is deliberately open to both experienced collectors and those encountering contemporary art for the first time. Positioned within one of London’s established luxury retail environments, House of Bandits brings unconventional artistic voices into conversation with a public.
IN CONVERSATION WITH TRINO VERKADE
What inspired the House of Bandits concept, and what did you want the gallery to offer artists?
House of Bandits began in 2020 during the pandemic as a way for Sarabande to support artists who weren’t able to show their work in galleries or to collectors. The gallery’s name comes from “Sarabandits” — a phrase coined to describe Sarabande’s anarchic approach and its ground-breaking creatives. Every purchase directly supports the Foundation and its artists.
Sarabande supports artists across fashion, art, photography, film and other creative disciplines. What connects the artists you choose to represent?
The Foundation supports artists who perhaps haven’t fitted in elsewhere, or who have a fearlessness to their creativity. They are rarely recent graduates and may have worked in other careers before turning their focus towards art. The gallery represents any Sarabande artist, past or present, who wants to sell their work.
What does it mean for these artists to have their work presented within Selfridges, alongside a luxury retail environment?
We can’t wait to share the work of our brilliant artists and designers with the world when they come through the doors at Selfridges. We recognise that creativity knows no bounds, and so we hope that everyone — whether they know anything about art or not — will come and see us, find out more about the Foundation and our artists, and hopefully buy something by exciting, talented artists that they might not discover otherwise.
How important is accessibility to the House of Bandits model, particularly in creating opportunities for emerging artists?
All of our artists, past and present, are able to sell work through House of Bandits. Through projects like this with Selfridges, anyone can enjoy and purchase the work without needing to make an appointment or face the daunting prospect of going into commercial gallery spaces.
It’s the perfect opportunity for those looking to start collecting an artist earlier in their career.
What have you learned from working so closely with the artists and seeing their practices develop through Sarabande?
That, although there is a vast variety of art that we support, they are all tenacious and passionate about their work.
Looking ahead, what would you like House of Bandits to become within London’s wider creative landscape?
We want House of Bandits to become the go-to gallery for collectors, interior designers and art lovers who want to discover new artists and own bold or unique pieces of art, jewellery or photography.
Our next big project is to curate 1,000 artworks for the St Regis hotel opening in the coming months in Mayfair. This means visitors to the hotel, restaurants and bars will be surrounded by some of the most exciting artworks in London.
House of Bandits represents an approach to art built around discovery rather than exclusivity. Its return to Selfridges places that philosophy within a setting where art can be encountered as part of everyday cultural life, while continuing Sarabande’s commitment to artists willing to push boundaries and challenge prevailing orthodoxies. The model also points towards a broader future, from accessible collecting to its forthcoming 1,000-work St Regis project in Mayfair. House of Bandits offers an example of how cultural spaces can open pathways between artists and audiences, making contemporary art more approachable while creating opportunities for collectors to discover distinctive creative voices and engage with emerging artistic practices.
