About

Since the brand’s inception in 2013, Unit London has established a global artistic platform for the world’s most distinctive emerging talent. In an often opaque and impenetrable art world, Unit London seeks to identify, cultivate and expose works of art on a purely meritocratic basis. The gallery has successfully launched and advanced the careers of numerous important contemporary artists and remains a bastion of equity, innovation and sustainability.

Unit London prides itself on being an open and transparent institution whose purpose is to expand and diversify contemporary art audiences. In its reluctance to simply follow the traditional gallery formula, Unit London has become synonymous with the pioneering use of social media and digital content. The gallery endeavours to act as an orator and mediator: telling the story of today’s most gifted artists, whilst bridging the gap between the physical and virtual spheres of the art world; connecting people with the art they love.

Art world elitism has always been anathema to close friends Joe Kennedy and Jonny Burt; Unit London is a product of such disaffection. As Joe and Jonny navigated an inhospitable artistic landscape in their early-twenties, they became increasingly aware of the inherent restrictions in the art world. As young gallery directors they were - and still are - uniquely placed to influence the movement of the industry and help to realign its ingrained value systems. 

Seven years on from Unit London’s inception in September 2013, Joe and Jonny have redefined the concept of how a typical gallery should function and have created a model that is culturally relevant to contemporary audiences. Since 2013, Unit London has held several spaces across the capital, moving from pop-up spaces in Chiswick, Covent Garden and Soho, before the launch of the gallery’s flagship 6,000 ft space in the heart of Mayfair, on Hanover Square, in June 2018. 

Joe and Jonny were recently appointed Chairmen of MTV RE:DEFINE, one of America's most prominent and high-profile philanthropic art auctions. The pair were also named as one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 entrepreneurs for their contributions to the global art & culture industries. Joe and Jonny are young Patrons of various cultural institutions including Tate, Serpentine and the Royal Academy, and sit on the advisory boards for multiple art prizes, fairs and awards. 

In the last year the gallery has hosted over 15 exhibitions, including stand-out shows from Helen Beard, Ryan Hewett, Jake Wood-Evans and Zhuang Hong Yi. Today, Joe and Jonny continue to push the boundaries of how a gallery should operate, building a decidedly 21st century practice that aims to alter and disrupt a stagnant status quo.