dialogue
Will Hainsworth, Palmer Gallery | Gallerist
October 2025
6 min read
Founded in 2023 by art advisor Will Hainsworth and academic Lucas Giles, Palmer Gallery has quickly become a vital voice in London’s art scene. With a focus on cross-disciplinary practices, the gallery curates exhibitions that balance institutional depth with experimental energy, bringing together both emerging and established artists in dynamic, materially rich shows.
Guided by a belief in artistic autonomy, the gallery gives artists full freedom to shape their participation and trusts them to interpret each concept in their own way. This collaborative approach creates a space grounded in connection, curiosity, and shared intent.
As Palmer Gallery enters its next phase, expanding representation and joining the international art fair circuit, it continues to champion accessibility and authenticity, helping position Lisson Grove as one of London’s most exciting art destinations.
Will Hainsworth, Photo courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
Palmer Gallery was founded in 2023, but it has quickly become a recognised voice within London’s dynamic art scene.
What vision did you set out with and has it evolved since opening your doors?
”We always want to curate exhibitions that have an institutional feel: well researched, expansive in scope and experimental in essence. In choosing to focus on artists who have cross-disciplinary practices, we aim to curate these interesting, materially diverse shows that also contain a commercial element, one that allows us to engage private collectors, not just institutions.
This vision as a whole hasn’t changed over the last two years, but we have had to tweak the delivery of it slightly. Before we opened, the programme plan was to have mainly solo shows (with perhaps one summer group show a year) and to focus solely on emerging artists. We’ve found that, due to the large size of the gallery space and the modest production budget a young gallery like ourselves operates with, a lot of younger artists weren’t able to take on the space in the way they would like.
So we’ve begun to work with some artists who are more established - like Hannah Perry and Andy Holden - and to programme more group shows, allowing younger artists to interact with the gallery in a more sustainable, low-touch way.”
Emii Alrai, Requiems, Cardboard, British gypsum, straw and sand 220 × 70 x 105 cm, 2018-2024. Photo courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
Your programme appears to centre artistic autonomy and operate independently of commercial norms. How do these values shape the day-to-day operations and curatorial decisions?
“We like to let artists take the lead when it comes to shaping how they will participate in a show. We’ll have the initial concept for an exhibition and start talking to people and visiting studios, but once a group or solo show is confirmed the artist[s] pretty much has carte blanche when it comes to the work. We’ll discuss potential avenues with them and might offer advice here and there, but ultimately we choose to work with artists not artworks, so we have a level of trust that artists will interact with the concept and make interesting, high-quality work.
In terms of how this shapes day-to-day operation and curatorial decisions - I think the most important thing for us is that we have a good relationship and understanding with the artist on a personal level. We spend so much of our time at the gallery and working with artists, that there’s really no point doing it with people you don’t like. It’s about quality of life and connection and ensuring interactions are positive and enjoyable every day. ”
Installation view: Between Hands and Metal, Palmer Gallery, through August 2024. Photo courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
Which artists, both historic and contemporary, inspire you the most, and why?
”One of the main challenges is working out how to cut through the noise. There are a lot of young galleries out there putting on really interesting shows (which is of course a good thing) but it does mean competition for eyes and ears is tough. I still think the strongest exhibition we’ve ever put on was the least well attended. That’s been quite hard to reckon with because you put a lot into bringing shows together and then, for whatever multitude of reasons - perhaps you get the messaging or timing wrong - and it doesn’t quite cut through.
Hopefully, as we continue to grow and expand our audience there will be a levelled out consistency of engagement. We’re already starting to see that happening.”
Hanna Perry, Titanium, Acrylic paint and engine oil on canvas, 114 x 180 cm, 2024. Photo courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
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Installation view: Levi de Jong, Tom Bull, Soft Landing, Palmer Gallery, through July 2025. Photo courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
Are there any curatorial norms or industry expectations that you deliberately try to subvert?
”Not particularly. We don’t really bang the anti-art world drum because we realise we’re part of a complex eco-system that has positives and negatives, and that by positioning yourself outside of that you hinder your chances of benefiting from the positives or altering the negatives.
If there’s one art world shibboleth that we challenge it’s probably the feeling of unfriendliness you can encounter in a gallery and the obfuscation you can find in the press release, that some galleries use as a means for belittling people and supposedly elevating their position. No time for any of that. ”
Installation view: Shaan Bevan and Owen Pratt, Ex-Voto, Palmer Gallery, through October 2025. Photo courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
What do you hope Palmer Gallery’s legacy will look like in ten years, both within London and beyond?
“We’re beginning to enter the second phase of the gallery’s progression which will see us start to represent artists (most probably with quite a bespoke, flexible model of representation that seems more appropriate these days) and attend art fairs. We’d like to grow the programme and expand throughout the building we’re currently in, as there’s room to grow here in exciting ways.
In ten years we’d like to be established on the international art fair circuit, with a small but high-calibre roster of artists who have institutional pedigree. I’d hope that in ten years time Lisson Grove as an area will be more established as an art destination and that Palmer Gallery will be seen as an instrumental part of that process of creative regeneration.“
