Recoat Gallery

I hate to sound like a dork, but this gallery is SO COOL!
I’ve always passed by and been intruiged by the designers. I finally got a peek in today and was not disappointed.
It’s kept fairly minimal inside and each month it hosts a new exhibition, varying from art school graduates to independent illustrators attempting to get their name out there. I hate using contrived phrases but there’s something very guerilla urban about this place — a lot of the art towards the back is made out of simple objects and spray painted before being sold off for a few very reasonable pennies.
This month they’re hosting illustrators from London but have new art moving in next week. For those interested in collecting any artist’s work, the owners are very laid back and will provide you with all the information you need to become a fan. There are also some graphic tees at the back, mainly of a wild animal in the city type theme. Which sounds mind boggling, but you’d understand if you saw it. Bears in suits wrestling people and whatnot.
There was some art in here that blew me away — most of it actually — but particularly a designer called Inkie, whose tag name does not begin to summarise the amount of beautiful elegance in their work. It was all very psychadelic, and seemed to bring Mucha into the 21^st century. I fell in love.
I love this gallery because it hosts local art with a difference. They have a number of catalogued sketches and original prints from artists of all areas but it’s not commercial or high brow. The graphic design is outstanding in most and I adore the satirical sketches of a humourous nature (taking the piss out of pop culture like Kanye West, for example). The imagination stored in here is genuinely unique and brings a unique, street element to the art galleries in this area. One of the most exciting art galleries if you’re big up on your Banksy or Dolk. I’m bowling over talking about this place because I was blown away with the talent showcased inside.

This delightful little graffiti treasure trove sweats honest art at an honest price.
Located in a side road near Kelvin Bridge Subway, this petite shop must surely be a major contender for the spiritual home of Scottish street art. Its owners, Amy and Ally, may well be the hardest working pair in the graffiti business.
Within a year the Recoat Gallery had snowballed from its West End corner to become a hub for Scotland’s graffiti and ever blossoming street art scenes. It is now into the terrible twos and its continued success proves that Scotland’s first dedicated graffiti space is more than just a gallery.
With work from legends such as Crash and Daze (of Style Wars fame) dotted about the shop there are items to warrant even the most grandiose of chin strokes. For the more discerning of browsers the ever changing stock means that a trip will differ from month to month. I was particularly impressed by the Andrew Rae (Monkey Dust creator) collection.
If you visit be sure to ask to see the mural on the side of the shop. It was painted as part of the galleries first birthday by UK heavyweights SHEONE, O, and the Edinburgh artist Elph and it is unique within Scotland.
Each month ithe gallery hosts a new exhibition from an established artist or a rising prodigy. My personal favorite was the bike themed Two Year celebration instillation.
Exhibitions are free and open to all and the vibe is always friendly, indeed the owners are all too happy to have a chin wag about anything, from the highs and lows of street art to the best way to stay dry while cycling.
A Recoat tale which made me smile during on particularly brutal day of rain in Glasgow involved a disgruntled granny bellowing at Ally and his fellow artists as they put the finishing touches on the Kelvin Bridge mural (commissioned by the City Council). «What are you all doing?» she screamed. «You are not even wee!» Classic…
Recoat is currently showing its two year bike themed exhibition. The next exhibition is from ELPH ONE and LYKEN LOVE and its opens on the 18^th September. For more information visit

A great little gallery specialising in fashion, street culture and art. I’ve visited two opening nights and the owners are extremely helpful and friendly. The work sells out quickly so if you want to buy, be there early.
Nice atmosphere, refreshingly non-​snooty.