Saatchi Gallery - London

The Saatchi Gallery, located in the Duke of York's Headquarters on King's Road in Chelsea, London, had a particularly active and noteworthy period during 2016–2017. One of the most talked-about exhibitions of that time was Champagne Life, which opened in January 2016 and marked a historic milestone — the first time in its 30-year history that the gallery held a female-only exhibition, showcasing 14 of the brightest stars in the art world. Named after one of the works on display by Julia Wachtel, the exhibition paid tribute to the gallery's commitment to supporting the work of women artists early in their careers, featuring pieces ranging from stuffed animals and giant portraits to abstract sculptures and large-scale installations. The gallery attracted over one million visitors in 2016 alone, cementing its status as one of London's most dynamic cultural destinations. Later that year, the Saatchi Gallery pivoted to celebrate the enduring power of painting with Painters' Painters: Artists of Today Who Inspire Artists of Tomorrow, which opened in November 2016 and ran into early 2017. The exhibition featured the work of nine present-day painters; critics noted that it featured only men, suggesting there were no inspirational female artists within Saatchi's vast archives, a contrast to the all-female Champagne Life earlier in the year. Together, the two exhibitions reflected the gallery's ongoing but uneven engagement with questions of gender and representation in contemporary art.