Highgate is getting a new contemporary art gallery, with Lower Slopes opening its doors at 84 Highgate High Street next month.
The gallery’s first exhibition, Liminal States by London-based artist Liron Kroll, opens to the public on December 3 and runs until December 20.
It is the latest cultural addition to the village, and the gallery’s founder hopes it will become a destination for contemporary art in north London.
What is Lower Slopes?
Lower Slopes is a contemporary art gallery founded by Meryl Yankelson, who wants to bring distinctive exhibitions and new audiences to the area.
She said she hoped to make the gallery “a destination for contemporary art in North London, bringing distinctive exhibitions and new audiences to the area”.
“Highgate manages to retain the feel of a village, whilst offering incredible views of the city and attracting visitors from around the world,” she said.
“In many ways, the location reflects my vision for Lower Slopes: to create an intimate gallery experience with an ambitious artistic programme, bringing distinctive contemporary art to North London.”
Lower Slopes held its first exhibition as a pop-up in Islington, but the Highgate opening gives it a permanent home.
The gallery will run a curated programme of exhibitions by emerging and established contemporary artists, with a focus on personal narratives and the human experience. Exhibitions, events and conversations will all be part of its offer.
The first exhibition
Liminal States is a solo show by Liron Kroll, curated by Tamara Admoni, in which the artist revisits her adolescence as a place where identity, desire and self-perception began.
The show features six new works that combine photography, photomontage and digital painting, alongside a selection from her earlier series.
The private view is on December 1, from 6pm to 8pm, and the exhibition is open throughout the month.
Visitors can view the show on Thursdays and Fridays from 12pm to 4pm, and on Sundays from 11am to 3pm.
A conversation between Kroll and curator Tamara Admoni will be held on December 6.
The building
The gallery sits in a four-storey shop at 84 Highgate High Street, next door to The Crown pub.
The building was previously occupied by an interiors store, and most recently by the House of Lebanon gift shop, which closed in 2024.
It was sold in January, and Lower Slopes carried out a renovation of the building before opening the new venue.
A village with a cultural draw
Highgate has long drawn visitors for its village atmosphere and its views over the city, and the arrival of a dedicated contemporary art gallery adds another reason to visit.
The village already comes together for seasonal events, including the switching-on of Highgate’s Christmas lights, and the new gallery gives the High Street a year-round cultural venue of its own.
It also joins a run of new cultural openings across the capital, including the new London Museum at Smithfield, which opened with free tickets earlier this year.
Lower Slopes opens to the public on December 3.
