Newcastle’s ever-growing and evolving creative scene welcomes a fresh and innovative addition with the opening of Pseudonym Gallery, a space dedicated to challenging the conventional norms of the art world.

Located in Wickham’s former The All Story space on Robert Street, Pseudonym Gallery is the brainchild of New Zealand born Kere M Baker, a former interior designer with a passion for providing artists with the freedom to create without the constraints of identity.

Kere’s journey to opening Pseudonym Gallery is as compelling as the space itself. A former resident of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Kere was propelled into a new chapter of her life after a life-altering health scare.

“I got really sick in 2011 and was given a week to live. That was a bit of a what now moment when I didn’t die,” Kere said.

This experience led her to launch Looby Lou, a home fragrance label that would later become a key component in her move to Newcastle.

The transition from Sydney to Newcastle was driven part by necessity, and part by serendipity. Following a developer looking to buy the former Looby Lou premises, Kere knew it was time to look further afield.

“We started looking anywhere from Mona Vale all the way up here to Newcastle.”

It was in Newcastle that she stumbled across this space that could serve both her wholesale business needs and her vision for an art gallery.

“I remember the first time we found this building, I felt that the building was basically built for me and what I needed.”

Kere’s approach to curating Pseudonym Gallery is deeply influenced by her own experiences within the art world and her desire to challenge its often rigid structures.

“One of the things that I find challenging about the art world, and it’s something that I’ve always actively rejected, is that they’re dead against pseudonyms or letting artists create anonymously. It’s really become about what you know, where your work has been recognised, and how many followers you have on Instagram rather than the actual story.”

Artists exhibiting at Pseudonym Gallery are offered the opportunity to exhibit their works under pseudonyms or anonymously if they choose.

After months of pulling the space together, Pseudonym Gallery officially opened to the public with the launch of its opening exhibition, Fear-Less kicking off on Saturday August 24.

Featuring works by 25 artists, the exhibition explores themes ranging from domestic violence and feminism to grief and sexism, with several pieces presented anonymously or under pseudonyms.

The inaugural exhibition is a testament to the gallery’s mission to create a space where art can be appreciated for its message, rather than the name attached to it.

“I’m trying to create a safe, inclusive space, and if that sometimes means that people need to be anonymous, that’s ok.”

“I acknowledge that artist’s reputations are incredibly hard-earned and well-deserved. I’m not trying to take away from that or diminish it in any way, but rather to create a space where people form a deep connection with the work. I want the buyer that feels things viscerally based on emotion. It’s the buyer that always tells me they ‘know nothing about art’ that are truly the most joyous sales.” 

In addition to the gallery, Kere’s Looby Lou label offers the opportunity for artists to collaborate to create limited-edition candles, offering an accessible way for the public to support exhibiting artists.

“The general public may not be able to purchase an original artwork, but $50 on a candle will make them feel like they've supported the artist.”

Pseudonym Gallery’s Fear-Less exhibition will run until Saturday September 14. For those who missed the opening, a second round of welcome drinks will be held this Saturday, August 31 from 4pm-7pm.

Drop in and experience Newcastle’s newest gallery, Pseudonym, as it sets to carve out a unique space in our local art scene – one that prioritizes the artist’s voice over the name attached to it.