Contained within a wooden and plexiglass structure of about 2ft by 3ft, the Tiniest Gallery is a portable, single-piece miniature gallery that showcases a frequent rotation of artworks. Matthew Shepherd, who built the gallery, hung the display on the fence of his backyard visible to the public. Shepherd began the Tiniest Gallery in October 2015 after being inspired by the community-building potential of Little Free Libraries. He wanted to create similar concept that promoted artistic works.
For Shepherd the long-term value of the Tiniest Gallery relies on “the persistence of it, with the variety contained inside the persistence … and their narrative power over time is compelling.” The micro-scale exhibition format allows for passersby to consume ephemeral art in quickly albeit in meaningful ways as the artworks are often by local artists in the community. However, Shepherd has displayed works by artists from other parts of Canada, bringing in art from different communities.
While Shepherd created the Tiniest Gallery, he encourages others to create their own tiny art galleries as a way of encouraging collaboration through sharing and displaying art.
For Shepherd the long-term value of the Tiniest Gallery relies on “the persistence of it, with the variety contained inside the persistence … and their narrative power over time is compelling.” The micro-scale exhibition format allows for passersby to consume ephemeral art in quickly albeit in meaningful ways as the artworks are often by local artists in the community. However, Shepherd has displayed works by artists from other parts of Canada, bringing in art from different communities.
While Shepherd created the Tiniest Gallery, he encourages others to create their own tiny art galleries as a way of encouraging collaboration through sharing and displaying art.
