Thegallerist
BelgianManSomerlinck sayshe’s interested in “how spaceschange your frameofmind”–whichpartlyexplainswhyhisFordhamGallery
isonan 18m-longcanal bargewhichhefittedout himself two years ago. Thegallery started lifeonFordhamStreet in 1999, but now it
all happenson theboat, fromartworkshops toexhibitionsonoffbeat subjects likemindmaps andGeiger counters. Somerlinckmainly
lives in thebowof thebarge,whichhehas tomoveevery fortnight,whilehis two youngchildrenMarcel andJerome spendmost of
theirweekwith theirmumMegan inaflat onColumbiaRoad, joininghimonweekends in the threecosycabins. “Youget this feelingof
detachment,” says Somerlinck,whose fatherwas a skipper inBelgium. “Youcan really feel theelements, and youhave toconstantlywork
tokeepeverything running,”he says, pointing tohis axeandwood-burning stove. “Youhave to love theboat.”
fordhamgallery.co.uk
n
/051
