The Fast Lane to Friendship
Vintage racing posters · Summer gallery party · 50s & 60s · Shepherd Market
There are worse places to spend a June evening than a small gallery in Shepherd Market with a cold glass of rosé in hand and a room full of interesting people.
The weather was doing its best impression of summer: warm rather than hot, but with that unmistakable London closeness in the air. Inside, however, nobody seemed particularly concerned. The gallery was packed, the rosé and Peroni were flowing, and those opting for clearer heads were happily working their way through Dash raspberry and cucumber spritzers and Nirvana’s alcohol-free beers. After all, if you’re hoping to make a good impression at a dating event, keeping your wits about you can be a tactical advantage.
The exhibition itself was extraordinary. Vibrant vintage motor racing posters, original artworks, limited editions and beautifully framed photographs lined the walls, glowing in the evening light that poured through the gallery windows. There was glamour, speed and nostalgia in every direction; reminders of an era when racing drivers looked impossibly heroic and advertising posters were works of art in their own right.
Guiding us through it all was William Lansbury, whose modesty somehow makes his achievements even more impressive. A racing driver, writer and producer, Will has competed and won across Formula First, Formula Ford and Formula Renault, before returning to competitive racing after taking time away to raise his son yet you would never have guessed this from listening to him. His enthusiasm is directed entirely towards the stories behind the collection, bringing each piece to life with the kind of insight that only comes from someone who genuinely loves the world he inhabits.
As conversations flowed, so did the canapés, arriving steadily throughout the evening and disappearing just as quickly. Guests drifted between artwork and conversation, discovering shared interests in travel, motorsport, London life and summer plans. New friendships formed easily, helped by the relaxed atmosphere and the fact that everyone had something beautiful to look at when they needed a moment to gather their thoughts.
The timing turned out to be impeccable. As the evening drew to a close, some newly formed groups headed off together to watch England’s opening World Cup match, proving that it is entirely possible to fit art, socialising, dating and football into a single evening if you put your mind to it.
Others lingered a little longer. My own evening ended next door at Noble Rot with a glass of champagne and a table of charming, funny people whose conversations had started in the gallery and showed no sign of stopping. We talked about summer holidays, favourite cities, future adventures and everything in between.
One guest wrote afterwards to say how lovely it had been to meet people face to face and how much they were looking forward to the next event. Another simply thanked us for a wonderful evening.
Which, in the end, felt like the perfect verdict.
The art may have brought everyone through the door, but it was the conversations, the laughter and the company that stayed with them long after the gallery lights were turned off.