CEO & Founding Director
Alex Proud
'Knowledge is power in Four Rooms (Channel 4). I need to know those dealers better than they know themselves. Just like in a game of poker, I will beat them.'
Alexander Proud
Meet Gallery, club owner and British entrepreneur Alex Proud.
Following an apprenticeship with a Japanese art dealer in London he opened his first gallery in 1994 selling rare Japanese prints. In 1998 he founded Proud Galleries, now respected as one of Europe’s leading photographic galleries, he has expanded the business to encompass cabaret and club entertainment venues in London and Brighton.
Alex Proud co-founded the photographic art book publishers Proud Publishing and has numerous books including Drawing Blood: 30 Years of Art by Graham Humphreys; Audrey Hepburn by Bob Willoughby and over hundred other titles. Alex Proud has been invited to judge several photography competitions including the Nikon Press Awards and The Observer Hodge Awards, co-founded the Sony World Photography Award in 2008 and has served as a judge on Channel 4’s Picture This with photographer Martin Parr of Magnum Photos and Brett Rogers of the Photographers Gallery.
Since 2013, Proud featured as a returning dealer on the Channel 4 series Four Rooms, wherein entrepreneurs and businessmen and women are pitched collectibles from members of the public. Four Rooms won Best Daytime award at 2014’s Royal Television Society awards. He has appeared on all mainstream channels including presenting Channel 4’s Picture This and BBC 2’s House Proud. Alex Proud served as a vice chairman for Camden Town Unlimited, and also worked as an advisor to the former Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy.
Occasionally operating as a columnist and commentator, Alex Proud has written for various publications including NW Resident Magazine, The Daily Telegraph and the London Evening Standard.
Gallery Director
Javier Robledo
'At Proud Galleries we stage compelling shows by legendary photographers who continue to capture the most iconic people, moments and trends defining popular culture.'
Mexican-British art enthusiast educated at the TEC de Monterrey in Guadalajara, and the University of Wales, United Kingdom where he completed his studies in Business Management. On leaving university, Javier began touring his own pop-up art shows exhibiting 20th century fine art prints across the United Kingdom, mainly dealing with original work of David Hockney, Henry Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall.Next he moved on to collaborate with British art dealers Gerrish Fine Art, regular exhibitors at the Royal Academy of Arts.
Ever since Javier has been involved in the creative arts industry leading contemporary and modern gallery programmes and spaces for renowned international gallerists including Selma Feriani, Essia Hamdi and Mike Goldmark; working in collectives alongside with acclaimed photographers such as Jill Furmanovsky and Richard Young; and staging ground breaking booth shows in multiple art fairs worldwide in Art Basel, Basel; Art Basel, Hong Kong; Art Basel, Miami; Art Dubai, Dubai; Art Brussels, Brussels; F.I.A.C and Paris Photo, Paris; 1:54, London; Dream City, Tunis; and Contemporary Istanbul, Istanbul.
David Montgomery & Javier Robledo © ARTE
Volunteering Programme
Do you want to gain experience in the Europe’s leading Pop culture photography gallery? Volunteers are welcome to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for art and photography by helping the public to learn and enjoy the Proud Collection and/or any other show on display, as well as promoting the general programme of exhibitions and related events.
Every volunteer will gain invaluable experience in managing a commercial gallery on a day to day basis. Activities include cataloguing photography portfolios, creating social media and marketing content, updating the gallery website, up-keeping of the space, helping manage events and front of house. Let us hear from you!
‘Inspirational and lively gallery space in Charing Cross, London. I had a wonderful time while learning all about photography! I also gained an invaluable insight into the world of managing a renowned commercial photo gallery.’ Serena Mazzola, Richmond University, U.K.
