Now open on Rufus Court, is what may be the world’s smallest art gallery (according to our unofficial records). The hidden gallery can be found on the upper floor, in the letterbox of Stigma Tattoo. The gallery known as “nano” features tiny portraits created by the artist Leon B Joinson.
“It was an idea that we came up with one afternoon ” says Tim Irvine, owner of Stigma, which opened back in 2008. “I was approached by Chester Contemporary over a year ago about doing the tattoo and using Rufus Court as a venue. We thought it would be cool to do this and be part of the Contemporary Fringe event.”
Running alongside the Contemporary’s main artistic programme, the fringe showcases creative work and events from within the Chester community such as this. Cleverly built using a box file the tiny yet realistic looking gallery consists of punk rock collages, illustrations and photography in a stark monochrome style : “A peek into a world where art defies scale, boundaries and conventions in the most unexpected of places”.
The gallery, open 24/ is a fun and quirky addition to Chester’s art scene.
The Chester Contemporary’s official Tattoo: “Places I go when I can’t sleep (Explosive plans centring on the periphery)” is also available from the studio. Created by the artist and Contemporary curator Ryan Gander, the tattoo is an “action mark” appropriated from a Tintin cartoon representing a circular expression of energy.
The Chester blog 