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Search forCroydon oil advisor changes career to open art gallery
Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 07:00
Kofi Assa-Darko, 60, has taken the bold move to start a new life as a gallery owner, and wants to cater for every Croydon purse.
Mr Asso-Darko has started the new venture with business partner Peter Musch, and hopes to pull in punters to their gallery, Artimania.
He said: "This is the first time I've done this. It's still quite daunting and it is a big investment.
"All my working life I have collected paintings for myself, and I bought a lot of them from Peter (who had his own gallery in Holland).
"We became friends and decided to go into business together."
For Mr Asso-Darko, from Purley, this is a dream finally come true. He said: "I was born in Ghana and I really wanted to be an artist, but my father discouraged me. He said it had no real stability, but I could never let go of the idea."
The cheapest painting at the shop is around £35 with prices going up to £1,500.
The partners have filled their three-floor gallery with 670 paintings.
Mr Asso-Darko, from Purley, said: "I want to cater for all tastes and prices, so many galleries only concentrate on one particular movement or subject, but I've tried to get a real variety here.
"There are so many shoe shops and clothes shops here, so we hope this will offer something new, something that people won't have to visit central London for.
"I want to bring a little of the National Gallery to Croydon."
ARTISTIC: Kofi Assa-Darko with business partner Peter Musch Photo No: by Kevin Shaw Photo No: by Kevin Shaw
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