If it’s February, it must be time for New Art West Midlands. The annual showcase of contemporary art returns this month with a whopping 43 artists displaying new work in four major galleries across the region.
This year mac birmingham join Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Herbert Gallery & Museum, Coventry, in hosting exhibitions.
All the artists who take part in New Art West Midlands have graduated from one of five regional art schools in the past three years: Birmingham City University, University of Wolverhampton, Coventry University, University of Worcester and Staffordshire University.
They were selected by a panel of stellar figures from the art world that includes artist and academic Sonia Boyce, artist John Stezaker and Katharine Stout, Head of Programme at ICA, London.
New Art West Midlands highlights promising artists right at the start of their careers and in this special edition of Area we reveal the names to look out for. With painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video and audio all getting a look in, New Art West Midlands gives a great insight into what’s hot in the art world right now.
Here’s our pick of 6 artists to look out for…
Aaron Sehmar’s images of lone figures in desolate rural and urban settings are tinged with a sense of mystery and drama.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
Richard Savine’s paintings mix Pop culture, Street Art and Graffiti.
The Herbert & BM&AG.
Kyle Cartlidge’s paintings of a featureless-head reference to his youth growing up in post-industrial Stoke on Trent.
mac birmingham.
Theo Ellison’s portraits of the Queen will make you do a double-take: Her Majesty’s face has been overlaid with that of David Beckham, a comment on iconography and celebrity in the modern age.
mac birmingham.
Lucy Andrews’ images of figures washed up on a beach are laden with emotion and are given extra resonance by the current refugee crisis in Europe.
mac birmingham.
Rosa Denby’s self-portrait paintings – deliberately scratched and damaged – are reminiscent of Pop Art images.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery & The Herbert.
DATES
Waterhall Gallery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, 12 February – 15 May
mac birmingham, 13 February – 10 April
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, 26 February – 24 April
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, 12 March – 15 May
Opening times vary
Read more about New Art West Midlands in our special Area Guide culture edition for 2016.
New Art West Midlands is organised by Turning Point West Midlands, a network that works to promote and develop contemporary art in the region, hosted by Birmingham City University, and is supported with funding from the National Lottery by Arts Council England.
