It’s been a long wait but the borough finally has its first ever contemporary art gallery – the Boundary Road Gallery in Barking.

Opened by award-winning community arts organisation Studio 3 Arts, the brand new venue will exhibit work by artists from all over the world, with shows already planned right up until Christmas.

Liza Vallance, Studio 3 Arts Director, said: “It’s long been our ambition that our borough becomes a force to be reckoned with as far as arts and culture is concerned.

“The Boundary Road Gallery will help us achieve this, and give local people a new opportunity to see amazing visual arts, right on their doorstep.”

The first contemporary artist to install his work at the gallery is international artist Aldobranti, whose exhibition runs up until May 1.

His piece Light’s Festive Tents is a “strikingly beautiful” huge light box, which is suspended in the air.

“I was initially looking for a venue but it was not until I met with the S3A team back in January that I could begin to see this as work I could share,” Aldobranti said: “I was immediately impressed by the goals and expectations of the S3A people and by bringing this work to Barking, I was saying to myself that I did not need the comfort of an art school to explore these ideas.”

A private view of the show with the artist will be held at the gallery on April 24.

For more information, visit studio3arts.org.uk