Compiled by Sophie Carter
Featured in Capital #88.
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Everything seemed to fall into place for friends Lucy Jackson and Allen Maher. From their first meeting to the decision to open a gallery together. Allen tells us how it all happened.
How did you meet each other?
We met through a mutual friend. A group of us had got together to celebrate our friend’s birthday. It was mostly couples that didn’t know each other – this can be daunting, but everyone just clicked. It may have been the many toasts of bubbly that were done that night, but we all had a fabulous time.
This was several years ago. Since then we’ve shared many celebrations; both caught covid from the same party, and go to the same gym classes. We try to squeeze in a quick 6:30am business meeting while we warm-up.
What made you decide start Exhibit together?
It was such a quick decision. Lucy had texted: “Do you think that the old Barber shop in Hataitai would make a good art gallery?” Both of us knew it would be perfect.
It was such a whirlwind – after Lucy’s initial text, and a few excited text exchanges that through the rest of the day, the lease was sown up within 24 hours.
We both knew it felt right and it would be such a great addition to the Hataitai community!
What’s the best thing about working together?
Sharing ideas, problems and the fun of it all. There are many many highs and lows of setting up a small business, but we’re so lucky that we counterbalance each other. Where one may not be as strong, the other one covers and vice versa. We are very aligned with our approaches.
As we say on our website “Here’s to art, here’s to having fun, here’s to being surrounded by inspiration” – and so far we’re living proof of that!