LONG-FORGOTTEN art work is being put for sale – at a Sheffield gallery’s annual Under The Bed event.
The Cupola Gallery, Middlewood Road, Hillsborough has been hosting the sale, which invites artists to submit old work they have lying around, for almost two decades.
Karen Sherwood, gallery owner, is the brains behind the concept.
The 44-year-old said: “I once visited an artist friend of mine who started showing me some of her old work, which was literally stacked under her bed.
“She didn’t want to exhibit it, because it was old and no longer reflected her style, but she couldn’t bear to chuck it.”
Karen decided to host an ‘under the bed’ sale to help artists clear their stores and give the people of Sheffield the opportunity to bag a bargain.
She said: “Word spread through the art community that first year and we got so many submissions.”
And not much has changed in the 18 years since. This year’s sale features more than 1,000 pieces. The cheapest ever item sold for 12p and artists cannot price anything higher than £300.
Karen said: “I get submissions from all over the world now. A piece even came to us from New York this time so it really does reach people.
“I’ve had some submissions and thought ‘If this is your old stuff, I’d like to see your new stuff!’
The sale, which launches tonight, runs for three weeks.
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