Wari Art Stages its Debut Exhibition in an Airbnb

This new exhibition in London aims to challenge the traditional notions of what an art gallery should be by staging it in an Airbnb. Titled *NEW* Cosy 1 Bed Home | Shoreditch | Long Stays, named after the Airbnb listing, it invites viewers into an uncanny temporary home to reflect on the current housing situation in the UK, which has become increasingly commercialized and prohibitively expensive. These houses, repurposed into homogeneous buildings, strip away the sense of belonging that a home is supposed to offer.

The exhibition critiques the lack of a sense of belonging and the constant displacement felt in the UK. It also features a pamphlet of "House Rules" that sarcastically encourage viewers to reflect on how one is supposed to live anywhere. One of the rules reads, "Do not look at yourself in the mirrors. You risk recognizing yourself," highlighting the loss of identity in homes today. Ultimately, the show forces viewers to reflect on the difference between a house and a home, and how, in big cities, the concept of home often gets lost.

The exhibition is presented by the collections company Wari Art, that aspires to bring new voices in the art scene. We spoke with Digvijay Karad, the founder of Wari Art, and Charlotte Seux, one of the curators of the show, to discuss their collaboration that breaks the conventional norms of an art gallery.

Tell me Wari Art was born and what are you aiming to bring to the current art scene? 
Digvijay Karad: It all started a few years ago. My undergrad was in PR at UAL’s LCC. Before that, I was studying international business, but I quickly realized I didn’t want to do statistics and switched to PR. During my third year, I wasn’t close with anyone in my class, so instead of attending graduation, I decided to sponsor a show for my friends who were fine arts students at CSM. It was a huge success, and that sparked my interest in the art world.

From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want to follow the conventional white-cube gallery model. Our first show was unconventional in terms of space and vibe, which I really loved. I then did my master’s at Sotheby’s and made some great contacts, especially with people who had gallery experience.

My family is quite traditional, and we’ve been involved with the Wari pilgrimage in Maharashtra for years—it's an 800-year-old procession where pilgrims walk from all over Maharashtra to Pandharpur. This procession is very close to my heart, and I thought, why not apply this concept to the art world? So, Wari Art, in a way, mirrors this procession, but instead of spiritual devotion, it’s a journey for art. The idea is to bring this global, moving aspect of art to the international scene.

Our first show with Charlotte was the start of this journey, and now we’re working on further collaborations with curators abroad.

How did you come up with the idea of hosting an exhibition in an Airbnb? It’s such an unconventional approach. 
DK: We knew we wanted a unique space for the exhibition, so we first looked at galleries and warehouses, but they were way too expensive. In London, everything is outrageously priced. Then we realized that Airbnb could work for us, especially for a two-month exhibition. We pitched the idea to the Airbnb owner, who was intrigued by the concept. Thankfully, they were open to it since they were a writer and into the creative scene, so the collaboration felt natural.

Tell me how the idea of showcasing alienation and belonging in a new city came about?
Charlotte Seux: Well, the concept was shaped largely by the context of London’s housing market. As you may know, the city’s real estate system is deeply problematic. With short-term rentals dominating the market, finding affordable spaces for cultural projects is nearly impossible. Airbnb, however, offered us the logistical flexibility we needed. We were looking for a space that could reflect the themes of alienation and belonging, and when we found the Airbnb that was a converted church, it seemed perfect.

The 90s, when this church was converted into flats, marked a significant shift in consumerism and commercial art. We wanted to emphasize this shift by curating a show that explored how architecture and space shape our experiences. By presenting contemporary art in a residential setting, we could explore how alienation and belonging are tied to these spaces that are often mass-produced and impersonal.

Tell me about the curation process. How did you select artists considering the site-specificity of the space?
CS: The curation was very much about how the space would inform the show. We didn’t want to place artwork in a neutral space and let it stand alone. Every corner of the apartment was treated as part of the exhibition. For example, one of the artists, Linnea, made sculptures that were incorporated into the bathroom. The bathroom was a particularly tricky space to curate due to its functional design, but Linnea's work really elevated it. Everything in the apartment—whether a radiator or a couch—became part of the artistic experience. We approached the space as a whole, and I think that’s what made the exhibition so unique.

The whole point was to create a sense of discomfort and uncanny feeling. Each piece was carefully placed to break the expectations of what a living space should look like. For example, in the dining room, we framed napkins that should have been in the kitchen or at the dinner table, and in the living room, we placed DVDs with missing covers. The intention was to make viewers question the function of everyday objects and how they become alien when removed from their usual context.

We also wanted to explore the idea of the "uncanny valley." When you enter this space, everything looks familiar, but something feels off. There’s no dining table in the dining room, for instance. It’s these small details that made the environment unsettling.

And what was the idea behind creating such an uncanny environment?
CS: We wanted the space to challenge people’s expectations of what an art exhibition or a home should be. It’s not about comfort or decoration; it’s about creating a space where nothing feels quite right. The art and the environment merge to create an experience that feels unsettling, yet compelling.

Ultimately, we want people to feel a sense of discomfort that mirrors the alienation so many of us experience in today's hyper-commercialized world. It’s a way of deconstructing the art world and showing how art and space can be used to provoke deeper thoughts on our lived realities.

Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 25.02.2025