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Yoko Ono, Jeremy Deller and
Mark Leckey to exhibit at Bluecoat
A specially curated exhibition, Public
View, marks the beginning of Bluecoat's 300th Anniversary Programme 'Drawn'
from over 50 years of art at Bluecoat, Public View, that runs from 4 February
2017 to 23 April
2017. will feature 100 artists who have previously exhibited at the gallery,
many at the beginning of their careers, and several now high profile artists.
Public View will present a wide range of work, including paintings, drawings,
prints, sculptures, photographs and video, with many pieces previously exhibited
in the gallery, some re-made especially for the exhibition, and others
completely new.
There is a wide generational breadth of artists, from international names like
John Akomfrah, Derek Boshier, Jeremy Deller, John Latham, Yoko Ono, Imran
Qureshi and Yinka Shonibare, to younger artists like Jamie Shovlin and Niamh
O'Malley. Reflecting Bluecoat's continuing commitment to artists in the City
region, there will be a strong representation of Merseyside born artists such as Chila Burman,
Mark Leckey and Paul Morrison, as well as others living and working locally,
including:- Pete Clarke, Alan Dunn, Nina Edge, Leo Fitzmaurice, David Jacques,
Paul Rooney, Twin Studio and Imogen Stidworthy. These have exhibition profiles
beyond Liverpool, including internationally and many had their first significant
shows at Bluecoat.
The exhibition includes:-
► Video and photographic documentation of performances in 1967 at Bluecoat by
Yoko Ono and Mark Boyle
► Paintings and prints by popular Liverpool artists with long Bluecoat
associations including Maurice Cockrill, Adrian Henri, Clement McAleer, Don
McKinlay and Sam Walsh
► Screen printed posters by designer Malcolm Garrett for an early Buzzcocks' gig
and an editioned print of Peter Saville's first poster for Factory
► Pete Frame's Eric's Progeny family tree, charting the careers of musicians
associated with Liverpool's famous club. The work is courtesy of artist,
musician, writer and record producer Bill Drummond, who himself has work in the
exhibition.
► Works by artists who had early career exhibitions at Bluecoat, including
Elizabeth Magill, Bashir Makhoul, Paul Morrison, Keith Piper and Imran Qureshi.
► Jeremy Deller's print History of the World, which resulted from his Acid
Brass, commissioned by Bluecoat in 1997
► A new series of photographs from John Akomfrah, showing for the 1st time.
► Works made especially for the show in response to the gallery's changed
architecture by Nina Edge and Brigitte Jurack.
► A new work by Mike Stubbs, Director of FACT, who exhibited at Bluecoat in 1989
and 1990.
► A series of 'punk portraits' by John Hyatt (artist, and professor at
Liverpool John Moores University) first shown at Bluecoat in 1986; and a remake
of a life sized female figure from newspaper by Lin Holland (artist, and senior
lecturer at Liverpool Hope University), originally exhibited in 1987.
Bluecoat has been showing new art for over 100 years, from Roger Fry's seminal
Post Impressionists exhibition in 1911 that featured Picasso and Matisse, to
showcases of the next generation of artists like the recent Bloomberg New
Contemporaries.
Over this period Bluecoat has developed a reputation as an important regional
gallery, helping launch many artists' careers, initiating and hosting
significant UK and international touring exhibitions, and being at the forefront
of new developments in the visual arts, while nurturing the local artists'
community.
The Bluecoat building, a fine example of Queen Anne style architecture, began
life as a charity school in 1717, before housing an arts community in 1907, and
formally becoming an arts centre in 1927, making it the first of its kind in the
UK.
Its Anniversary Programme sees 300 days of celebration, running from 4
February 2017 to 30 November, 2017. It will comprise exhibitions, performances of
music, dance and live art, literature events, commissions, a sociologist in
residence, and a major heritage participation project, My Bluecoat.
Bluecoat Chief Executive Mary Cloake said:-
"Bluecoat has been at the
heart of Liverpool's cultural life for many years and it seems fitting that, as
the 1st exhibition in our 300th Anniversary programme, Public View will
highlight the diverse range of artists who have exhibited here. Bluecoat has
always strived to be at the forefront of developments in contemporary art in the
UK, often bringing major artists to Liverpool for the first time. The
organisation has played a key role in representing Liverpool on the national
stage, and in establishing the City as a Centre for ground breaking art. It is
thanks to the support of the people of Liverpool that Bluecoat has been able to
achieve as much as it has during its 300 years, and we invite everyone to join
us in 2017 to celebrate our history and achievements, and look forward to our
future."
Bluecoat Artistic Director Bryan Biggs, who has curated the exhibition, said:-
"Public View brings together works since when the gallery space was
improved and an exhibition programme formalised. Even with 100 artists, this is,
but a small, though significant, sample of the thousands of artists who have
shown here. It aims to reflect something of Bluecoat's curatorial interests and
distinctive exhibition programming over this period.
Visitors will be able to see some of their favourite artists or art that will be
familiar from previous exhibitions, while at the same time discovering exciting
new artwork, some of it never exhibited before.
There is a wide range of work included, with many of our 'artistic alumni'
generously donating their work in the exhibition, or another work, to a
fundraising auction to be held later this year that will help ensure Bluecoat
continues its support for artists.
The exhibition is the perfect start to Bluecoat's 300th anniversary year. It
celebrates the achievements of our past while simultaneously looking towards the
future as we maintain our long running connection with these artists and
continue our commitment to supporting artists at all stages of their careers." |
