Saturday 1 May 2010

Eighties, Nineties & Noughties: Contemporary Works from the Art Gallery Collection

Eighties, Nineties & Noughties opens day.

This small display from the permanent collection focuses on contemporary works which have been made and acquired since the 1980s.

The contemporary focus brings together an eclectic mix of work from a photo-realist painting by David Gledhill to a sound piece by Paul Rooney; a hanging woven mass of colour by Tadek Beutlich to the calm of a Manijeh Yadegar painting; a large-scale drawing by Laura Ford to a piece by Chris Taylor based on the format of the book.

The Gallery continues to collect new work building on the tradition started by its benefactors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its two most recent acquisitions are also included: a landscape painting by Alan Rankle presented by the Tramman Trust through The Art Fund and Moby Dick by Alan Birch, a laser-cut steel wall piece which reflects the fears and concerns of society in the late 2000s.

Along with recent support from The Art Fund, the Gallery has benefited from being a member of the Contemporary Art Society (CAS) for many years; several of the works on display have been presented by the CAS which celebrates its centenary this year.

By continuing to collect, we can ensure that the art of today will remain for future generations to contemplate and debate just as we can with the paintings acquired by our Victorian forefathers.

The exhibition presents a selection rather than a comprehensive view, particularly because some works from this period are part of At The Edge: British Art 1950-2000, which was shown here at the end of last year and is currently on display at Gallery Oldham

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