Formed in 1981 as the exhibitions arm of Art Space Portsmouth in a converted chapel in Brougham Road, Southsea, the gallery became a separate legal entity in the early 1990s.
The work exhibited by Chadwick, Ego Geometria Sum, is now part of the Tate collection.
[3] In 2003 the gallery announced the first Emergency award, an open submission exhibition that would take place every two years, to be judged by a panel of artists, gallerists and curators.
The first shortlist exhibition featured several artists who are now of some renown, including David Blandy, Juneau Projects and the eventual winner Susan Collis.
Aspex was instrumental in bringing Heather and Ivan Morison's 'Luna Park' to Portsmouth in August 2010, in conjunction with Chapter, Cardiff, firstsite, Colchester and Safle.