The Kalashnikovv Gallery was established in 2013 by long term collaborators M.J Turpin and Matthew Dean Dowdle out of frustration with the current South African Contemporary Art world and by extension, the prevailing “white cube” gallery discourse.They chose to create a hybrid space, bouncing to and fro between an independent artist run space, project space and commercial gallery space. Another key factor in the gallery’s inception was the decision not to compartmentalize creativity by showing art that is solely validated through academic practice and saleability. the Kalashnikovv ethos will forever champion the progressive alternative, the “outsider”, the artist as curator and the independent artist in all their creative guises and manifestations. Their existence is an endeavor to change perceptions around art, to move the industry forward as a whole, to be a catalyst for change and to make art accessible for all. Kalashnikovv strives to create exhibitions and scenarios that will cause artists, curators and the public to question their own place in this ever evolving art world.