dialogue
Aubrey Higgin, Chilli Art Projects | Gallerist
November 2025
7 min read
Aubrey Higgin is the visionary behind Chilli Art Projects, an artist-run space reshaping London’s gallery scene. Seeing a lack of diverse, accessible art in overlooked spaces, Higgin and his team transform unconventional venues, from a chicken shop to a Japanese restaurant, into dynamic environments. Their mix of raw walls and eclectic settings sparks fresh dialogues between local and international artists, prioritizing experimentation and community over the traditional white cube.
At Chilli Art Projects, curated exhibitions nurture collaboration and growth. Aubrey shares how duo shows often spark unexpected artistic evolutions, allowing ideas to develop through shared conversations. Above all, he values building relationships that make artists feel seen and supported.
Driven to push boundaries, the gallery brings complex dialogues to unexpected places and is expanding globally with a growing presence at Miami Art Week, continuing to redefine what a contemporary gallery can be: bold, collaborative, and inventive.
Aubrey Higgin. Photo by Max Rumbol.
What did you perceive as lacking in the London gallery scene that Chilli Art Projects aimed to address?
”At our core we are an artist-run space that aims to bring contemporary art to overlooked audiences within London. The idea is often to bring new artists to London for the first time, or to draw out new dialogues between London based artists and international ones.
We are also interested in using non-conventional spaces to show art. For example, our current space used to be a chicken shop, and later, a Japanese restaurant. Rather than using the old kitchen for storage, we converted it into a gallery space - adding lighting and addressing some structural issues. We felt like the mix of different walls (the tiles, the shutters and traditional white cube) was in many ways very evocative of our program as a whole - a compact yet diverse range of contexts, to draw out new dialogues. The tiles particularly have become somewhat synonymous with the gallery, giving us a strong identity - they’re raw, experimental and a little outsider - something that has permeated into our programming itself.”
Installation view: Eric Rannestad, Gradient Collapse, exhibited by Chilli Gallery, 2025. Photo by Max Rumbol.
How do you determine when an artist is prepared for a solo exhibition versus when they should be integrated into a group dialogue?
“I personally think it depends on a few factors, like whether the artist has a body of work they’ve been building which has a strong dialogue within itself. The way we approach programming is largely conceptually-led and dialogue focussed, so a lot of it comes down to whether we think there is an interesting pairing for that artist out there. A lot of the time, even if we feel an artist is ready for a solo, we first put feelers out to get a sense of whether they would also be open to a duo. I feel like this is where we are really able to add something to the conversation, rather than just showcasing something because it's easy or marketable. In many ways we are more interested in duo shows than solos, as duos allow us to really cultivate an interesting experience for the viewer, where we can draw out conversations between artistic communities or conceptual concerns from within them. I think they can also become fun, impactful experiences for the artist themselves. We’ve seen many cases where we’ve planned a duo show and one or both of the artists’ work has changed over the preparation of the show, as the artists begin to share ideas and conversations.
Lastly, having a solo show can put a lot of pressure on an artist, and I personally think it’s best if the gallery and the artist have worked on a few projects together, or at least spent some quality time getting to know each other first. A solo show is a big deal, and both the gallery and the artist need to fully commit. It’s an exciting milestone, and collaborating on a solo feels like the artist is becoming part of the gallery’s family. ”
Installation view: Morgane Ely, Cry, Baby, by Chilli Art Projects, 2025. Morgane Ely | Cry, Baby. Photo: Max Rumbol.
How much room do you allow for experimental risk-taking in your curatorial approach, balancing the potential for your message not resonating with the audience against exhibitions you feel confident will connect immediately?
”I feel it's always important to take risks and show what you really believe in, but of course your audience has an impact on this. As artists, we try to show what we love and what we think is truly fresh or different. Often this is work that we look at and are confused, puzzled or struck by. Inevitably, I think we’ve developed a very process-based program as a result of being an artist-run space. We are very interested in any artists who are exploring fresh processes or new materials; material led paintings are often what really grabs us. I think more than anything, we want our collectors to be wowed by something novel and fresh, which we can then educate them on.”
Installation view: Juan Manuel Salas Valdivia, Jackson Owen, Material history, by Chilly Art Projects, 2025. Photo: Max Rumbol.
Beyond logistical details and contracts, how do you prioritize care in your relationships with artists?
”I think connecting with the artist on a personal level is crucial - there’s real excitement in working day-to-day with someone who challenges themselves and is constantly pushing their practice. As an artist-run space, we love when artists ask us for feedback and suggestions. It’s actually my favourite part of running a gallery: offering advice and supporting artists with any questions they have, whether it’s about their practice or navigating the art market itself. Inspiring and supporting those young artists and collectors is very much at the heart of what we do - it’s what makes me tick.”
Installation view: Aj Kahn, Morgane ELy, Asher Liftin, It looks a lot less bleak through a filter, exhibited by Chilli Gallery, 2025.
What exciting developments can we anticipate from Chilli Art Projects in the future?
“We have some really exciting shows coming up, including debut UK solo exhibitions for two incredible US-based artists, Alexandre Pépin and Willa Cosinuke. We're also working on a very special project during Frieze Week involving an old horse/trailer box, in collaboration with an artist named Rebekka Homann. Definitely keep your eyes peeled for that! As a whole, bringing meaningful dialogue into these unexpected places is a direction we really want to continue to push. The next step might involve showing work in remote, often forgotten parts of the world. We’re still figuring it out - but I’ve got a few ideas brewing. Ultimately we’re committed to building connections between international and local artists, in whatever crazy form that takes!
Lastly, to round out the year, we’re thrilled to be doing our first Miami Art week! We’ll have presentations at NADA Miami and also at Untitled, thanks to a kind invitation from Jonny Tanna of Harlesden High Street for the NEST section.“
Installation view: Daniel Santangelo | Visioni, exhibited by Chilli Gallery, 2025. Photo by Max Rumbol.
Can you recall a pivotal conversation with an artist that significantly influenced your perspective on your own role?
“That’s a hard one, as I’ve had so many great conversations. I often come across new work thanks to artists and their social circles or recommendations. It’s a big part of what we do to be honest. Not only giving a platform to an artist as an individual, but also shining a light on how their work sits in the context of their friends or peers, or even other mini “movements” in another city. A lot of the time, an artist's best friend has the most interesting perspective on their work.
Secondly, we’ve had a lot of feedback from artists who’ve highlighted to me our more collaborative approach. I think because we’re artists ourselves, we often give more hands-on feedback to the artists we work with, on a more technical level. I think since these conversations, it’s something I've really tried to lean into - often sharing art historical references, texts, articles or other work with the artists we work with. I think the gallery’s role in the current climate is becoming closer and closer to the art schools of the past. Tutorial time is at such a premium now, many artists can go to art school for 3 years and have less than 6 or so tutorials. I think it’s so important to be able to cultivate a conceptual or processual rigour to your practice that helps you to grow. So this is something that we definitely try to encourage in our artists, since it was pointed out to me.“
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