Artist. Curators. Producers.
Beton (Croatian, Polish) means concrete as in the building material. Beton is strong, resistant, durable, and combines all four elements: water, air, fire, and earth. Beton Collective draws from these qualities in their approach to both artistic and curatorial work.
kollectiv
located in the heart of Folkestone - 69 Old High Street - kollectiv is an eclectic art centre hosting a programme of exciting, diverse, and thought-provoking events.
kollectiv plays host to some of the world’s most renowned and visionary artists, musicians and composers, showcasting art and music from across the globe. We are equally committed to supporting local artists and communities by offering exhibition space and collaborating closely with Folkestone-based organisations and charities.
our mission is to make contemporary art and ideas accessible to all and to serve as a bridge between the local and the global. We recognise the critical role art plays in forming relationships between communities, increase understanding of each others’ stories, and opening up new possibilities for creating a better world to all.
entrance to kollectiv is free and gives access to an inspiring and dynamic programme of exhibitions, concerts, performances, talks and events. Some of the events are ticketed so please check the website or front of the house for more details. We run a fully licensed cafe/bar open six days a week with excellent wifi for those who want to escape their home and work from an inspiring venue.
photo by Chelsey Browne
photo by Henrica Langh
BETON COLLECTIVE
Beton Collective is a curatorial and artistic duo (GRAVEL + CEMENTA).
Beton (Croatian, Polish) means concrete as in the building material. Beton is strong, resistant, and durable. It combines all four elements: water, air, fire, and earth. Beton Collective draws from these qualities in their approach to both artistic and curatorial work.
CEMENTA (Katie) and GRAVEL (Joseph) met in April 2022 and shortly after formalised their creative practise as Beton Collective. From the very start, they committed to daily creation of Exquisite Corpse which they exhibit regularly at solo and group shows encouraging audience to join. Their first piece together - Hyrc Krabowski - was shown in Pocket Gallery, Folkestone - world’s smallest art gallery.
In 2022, they opened a gallery in their home in Hawkinge where they held exhibitions of works by local artists, as well as their own.
Their shared love of placing art outside the borders of a traditional gallery space led them right to the doors of the Grand, a legendary Folkestone venue famous for its cultural past. They are currently managing and curating The Green Room turning it into a vivid art centre with high-quality, diverse programme of events.
Take up Space, Folkestone Bookshop and Folkestone Art Gallery. Only last year, over 5000 people came to their events.
In 2023, they curated Mark Millsted’s show at Folkestone Art Gallery. Their own work appeared in at group shows “Polskie Ksero” (The Brewery Tap), Dreamscapes (which they also curated) and in their solo show “Beton Beton” (The Brewery Tap).
Since 2022, they’ve organised over 100 events in Folkestone working closely with individuals and organisations including BFI, Folkestone New Music, Folkestone Music Town, Folkestone Doc Fest, Take up Space, Folkestone Bookshop and Folkestone Art Gallery. They’ve produced and co-produced a diverse and exciting programme of events to Folkestone including talks from renowned cultural figures (Sandy Powell, Simon Costin, Vesna Goldsworthy, Oliver Soden, Mark Anthony-Turnage, Michel Faber among others), film screenings (Frank Zappa documentary presented by archivist Elizabeth Klinck, Powell+Pressburger screening, Folkestone Doc Fest short films), concerts (John Carnac, Junyan Chen, The Bayle Music, Sacconi Quartet, Thomas Ades), exhibitions (Mick Williamson), creative workshops (life drawing and writing classes), and networking events for creatives. Only last year, over 5000 people came to their events. They want to bring the new programme to the heart of Folkestone and work closely with Creative Folkestone.
In June 2024 they took on a space in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter and so began kollectiv. -a new eclectic arts centre with a cafe/bar and print shop on site.
Their work will be exhibited in kollectiv during Open Arts Folke 24 - the first artist-led festival in Folkestone.
Exhibitions
July 2022 Hyrc Krabowsky Payers’ Pocket Gallery Folkestone
October 2022 Alex Boican + David Alderman + Thomas Poblete + Beton Collective (group show curatored by Beton Collective ) Beton Gallery Hawkinge
February 2023 Theatre of Absurd: Alex Boican solo show (curated by Beton Collective ) Beton Gallery Hawkinge
February 2023 Polish Xerox (group show) Brewery Tap UCA Space Folkestone
May 2023 Made in Love (solo installation) Stables Folkestone
September 2023 Beton Beton (solo show) Brewery Tap UCA Space Folkestone
November 2023 Contradictory Companions: Mark Millsted (curated by Beton Collective) Folkestone Art Gallery Folkestone
May 2024 Dreamscapes (curated by Beton Collective) Brewery Tap UCA Space Folkestone
September 2024 Open Art Folke 24 (group show) kollectiv Folkestone
BETON COLLECTIVE SELECTED WORK
HYRC KRABOWSKY
Beton Collective
2022
Mixed media; crab shell, shells, shark egg, seaweed, cardboard
The strongest immigrant crab, fundament of the seabed found his way to Folkestone. After the long journey through the oceans of the world, he now sits at the altar, overlooking vast and foreign land. Coronated with the Pharaoh-like claw crown, he strives for the skies.
He cleaned the depths of the waters and clawed his way to the top. He’s seen the world at its gravest and its most profound. He earned his crown.
Hyrc is the altar of newly found peace. It represents the challenging journey; the struggles and obstacles one must overcome, and the strength gained. He’s homed on the pedestal above the wisdom of the written word in the little pocket as though still in his cave. For all to see his powers and put a light on in the tribute to his new life. Here, In the secret garden full of flowers, growth, and love.
Hyrc’s name is based on the sounds crabs make when feeding, fighting, and fornicating.
Exhibitions:
July 2022 Payers’ Pocket Gallery Folkestone
October 2022 Beton Gallery Hawkinge
September 2023 Beton Beton Brewery Tap UCA Space Folkestone
EXQUISITE CORPSE
Beton Collective
2022-23
paper+pen
Exquisite Corpse is a space of unexpected encounters. It’s a space where people who might have never considered working together on any creative project, meet through the streams of their subconsciousness.
The experience of revealing the insides of an Exquisite Corpse might be the most important element of the game. Brilliance, horror, naivety, playfulness, and frustration become entwined within one another in a psychedelic dance. One sees themselves as part of something bigger. Their drawing/text dances with the drawings of others. Sometimes this dance is aggressive and argumentative only to reach harmony a second later. Exquisite Corpse is in constant making and its content changes depending on the observer.
Exquisite Corpse is a surrealist parlour game in which players take turns to write or draw on a sheet of paper, folding it to conceal their part of the composition before passing it on to the next person. The result is a fantastic collection of words and/or images.
Since April 2022, Cementa and Gravel created several Exquisite Corpses.
EXHIBITIONS:
October 2022 Beton Gallery Hawkinge
September 2023 BETON BETON Brewery Tap UCA Space Folkestone
September 2024 Open Arts Folke 24 kollectiv Folkestone
MADE IN LOVE
Beton Collective
2023
bodies + fruit on canvas
One cold morning, Gravel and Cementa took several boxes of fruit out of the fridge and threw them all over the canvas placed on their living room carpet. Afterwards, they got naked and made love.
Made In Love shows what remained of that morning. For a while, Gravel and Cementa expected the fruit to rot, but instead it dried out completely leaving the canvas stained with abstract images. There are bodies hidden somewhere in the movement of berries across the white space, however they can no longer be distinguished.
Made In Love explores the idea of oneness. What remains of us when we lose ourselves in an act of lovemaking? By using bodies and food as painting tools, Gravel and Cementa attempt to break the boundaries between life and art.
EXHIBITIONS:
May 2023 Stables Gallery Folkestone
September 2023 BETON BETON Brewery Tap UCA Space Folkestone
September 2024 Open Arts Folke 24 kollectiv Folkestone
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