Biography
The Multiple Store was founded in 1998 by Nicholas Sharp, a lawyer who specialises in contractual, copyright and other legal issues that affect artists, and Sally Townsend, a journalist and commissioning editor. Their aim was sustain a renewed interest in artists’ multiples which, in the 1960s and 1970s, had been seen as a ‘democratic’ form of art, with artists using industrial production techniques to make their work more widely available and affordable. The early 1990s had seen a resurgence of interest in the form, particularly from YBAs including Sarah Lucas and Tracey Emin whose The Shop sold customised T-shirts, ashtrays and mugs alongside the artists’ ‘proper work’. Sharp and Townsend wanted to encourage contemporary artists to make use of new materials and processes to create affordable, high-quality editions.
With a small amount of funding from Arts Council England to research their idea, and with the support of Central Saint Martins fine art department which initially offered use of an office and provided a part-time salary for Townsend to run the project, The Multiple Store was born. Now, having produced over 35 multiples and editions with artists including Turner Prize nominees and winners such as Fiona Banner, Grenville Davy, Anya Gallaccio and David Shrigley, The Multiple Store hosted its final show, The Last Editions which opened in London on 18 November 2016.
