MOT International, formerly MOT Gallery, was a contemporary art gallery in east London run by Chris Hammond. It opened in 2002 and closed in 2016.
History The MOT gallery was founded in 2002 by Chris Hammond, Floyd Varey and Mally Mallinson.Waddell, Heather (2006). London Art and Artists Guide, 10th edition, p. 156. London Art and Artists Guide. , It was run as an "independent space and curatorial project".
In August 2002, as the first of two projects taking place during that summer, Louise Harris showed new works, which addressed a subject via a particular medium, including watercolours of blondes, landscape images made from felt and abstract collages with paper on the theme of sex."Showbiz news", Evening Standard, 15 August 2002. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
In 2005, Hammond curated Shezad Dawood's Paradise Row. Dawood bought a run-down Georgian house in Paradise Row, Bethnal Green and renovated the property with the interior being white throughout. It was then put up for sale through an estate agent, Blake Stanley, the result being simultaneously an art exhibition and a conventional property vending. Hammond said, "Fantasy is really important, both in terms of architecture and where you want to live. Architecture is all about a projection of where you want to live, it's about imagining space that doesn't actually exist yet." Although the initial idea was a hoax to confuse the estate agent as to the nature of the enterprise, he took to it as a good marketing venture to local creatives and a novel way to enhance his new business.
In July 2006, MOT invited Shai Ohayon to curate "The Real Canadian", a group exhibition featuring emerging Canadian artists Elizabeth Fearon, Jason Kronenwald and Robert Waters.CreativeWeek (www.creativeweek.co.uk), July 2006, p.17. In December 2006, the PM Gallery in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, presented Bubble & Squeak, curated by London-based Shai Ohayon, to showcase artists who had been exhibited at MOT."Bubble & Squeak at PM Gallery", Artdaily. Retrieved 28 January 2009. Also in 2006 the gallery was renamed to MOT InternationalChris Hammond, Goldsmiths Staff. Retrieved 2 September 2016 and was incorporated as a limited company"MOT INTERNATIONAL LIMITED" "Companies House", Retrieved 2 September 2016
In 2007 Iwona Blazwick chose Elizabeth Price's film At the House of Mr X (2007), shown at the gallery, for her most significant show and artist of the year for Frieze magazine."Emerging artists" , Frieze, January – February 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
The gallery's first location was at Unit 54/5th floor, Regent Studios, 8 Andrews Road, London E8 4QN. It was housed in Regent Studios, which is also home to the Transition Gallery and Five Years Gallery. The nearest tube station is Bethnal Green.
In September 2011 MOT International opened its first location in Brussels on Rue Vandenbrandenstraat 1."Beatriz Olabarrieta at MOT International, Brussels", "RADDEST RIGHT NOW" 15 March 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2016"MOT INTERNATIONAL, Brussels", ArtSlant. Retrieved 2 September 2016 The gallery was subsequently concurrently located at Avenue LouiseAishan Yu: old photographs, no nostalgia , "Bruzz", 21 Nov 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2016Company History and Place du Petit Sablon from spring 2013 until 2016.Art Brussels 2016 catalogue Retrieved 2 September 2016"Notice timeline for MOT INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (05865714)", "The Gazette", 25 July 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016
In April 2012 MOT International opened a new London location in Mayfair at 72 New Bond St."East End art galleries forced to go west as local scene 'dies'", "The Guardian", 6 June 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2016 Curated exhibitions and projects continued at the original Regent Studios location which was renamed MOT International Projects."Once More, with Feeling!", "This is Tomorrow", 30 June 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2016
In early 2016 it was announced the gallery would be moving to a new central London location at 5 Babmaes St, St. James's that Autumn.Company History, aihitdata, 7 February 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016, re-title, May 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016
Artists exhibited at the gallery include Jeremy Deller, Liam Gillick, Martin Creed, Martin Kippenberger, Simon Patterson, Sarah Lucas, Matthew Collings, Matthew Higgs, and Mark Wallinger.
Artists represented by the gallery in mid 2016 were: BANK, Ericka Beckman, Simon Bedwell, Pavel Büchler, Braco Dimitrijevic, Karl Haendel, Susan Hiller, Seung-taek Lee, Liu Ding, Simon Mathers, Helmut Middendorf, Beatriz Olabarrieta, Dennis Oppenheim, Katrina Palmer, Elizabeth Price, Laure Prouvost, Dan Rees, Clunie Reid, Florian Roithmayr, John Russell, Marinella Senatore, Elisa Sighicelli, Ulrich Strothjohann, Amikam Toren, Ulay, Stephen Willats, Nil Yalter."MOT International Artists" , "Artsy", Retrieved 2 September 2016
It received funding from the Arts Council of England.
In July 2016 MOT International Limited was voluntarily wound up due to insolvency and went into liquidation.
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