Parafin was opened by Ben Tufnell and Matt Watkins in 2014. The gallery represents a broad selection of international artists working in a range of media, from emerging talents such as Fred Sorrell and Indre Serpytyte to major figures including Nathan Coley, Tim Head, Hamish Fulton and Nancy Holt. The gallery's focus is on its primary exhibition programme, but it also initiates and supports projects in public spaces and regularly publishes exhibition catalogues.