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| Eric Ravilious, Rye Harbour, 1938 (Ingram Collection) |
Can art help with the national identity
crisis in the time of Brexit? Opening in August at Ferens Art Gallery, Reflection: British Art in an Age of Change explores over a century
of creative achievement by a diverse body of artists whose loves and fears,
doubts and dreams mirror our own.
Featuring more than 130 works drawn
from the Ingram Collection of Modern British Art and the permanent collection
of the Ferens Art Gallery, Reflection
presents a dynamic and diverse vision of Britain and British art which asks
questions about identity and belonging. What does it mean to be British? How do
we define British art? How do we present ourselves to the world?
As well as paintings, drawings,
sculpture and prints, curator James Russell has selected works created over the
last century that employ collage, photography and video – from Henri
Gaudier-Brzeska’s charcoal on paper Standing male nude (1913) to Victoria Sin’s film Part Three / Cthulhu Through The Looking Glass (2017).
He says “It isn’t the medium or the date of the work that matters, it’s what the artist is saying about the
world and their place in it. Works that are by turns troubling and funny,
serene and dystopian, straightforward and strange – reflecting the very
different views and experiences of the artists.”
Some of the most famous names of modern British art
are included; from Stanley Spencer, Henry Moore, John Piper and David Hockney
to Bridget Riley, Barbara Hepworth and Elizabeth Frink. Frink’s Walking Madonna (1981) is one of several
rarely-seen large-scale sculptures, which also includes Meat Porters by Ralph Brown (1959). Alongside exquisite
watercolours by Eric Ravilious (Channel
Fishers, undated, and Rye Harbour,
1938) and Paul Nash (Elm Trees in Garden
Landscape, c.1930), visitors will experience the powerful vision of Peter
Howson (such as Resurrection (1999)
and Mr Great Heart (1996).
Portraiture is a particular strength of
both collections and is well represented in the exhibition, with works by artists
such as Wyndham Lewis (Self Portrait, 1932), John
Bratby (Self portrait with yellow
background, not dated), Bridget Riley (Woman
at Tea-table, not dated) and Lucy Jones (Wheelie, 2012).
The seriousness of some works is
leavened with humour elsewhere, with light-hearted paintings and drawings by
Leonard Rosoman (Fattipufs and Thinnifers, not dated), Edward Ardizzone (General staff of the 3rd Grade, 1944) and
Edgar Ainsworth (Blackpool, 1945).
Reflection also includes
contemporary artists who address the subjects of identity and belonging in
intriguing ways, among them Victoria Sin (Fun
Bag, 2015) and Gillian Wearing (Self Portrait as my Uncle, Bryan Gregory, 2003). The inclusion of recent work demonstrates
the remarkable vitality of art in Britain, but the exhibition as a whole
reminds us that we have endured tough times before.
James Russell again “Artists have always played a valuable role in expressing feelings and
exploring doubts shared – but not necessarily articulated – by the rest of us.
Many of the featured artists have found
joy in our world, but a few have battled with despair. Some were born in
Britain and travelled elsewhere through choice or necessity; others were born
elsewhere and travelled here. Some worked a hundred years ago; others are just
starting on their careers. Whether working in oils, bronze, pencil, collage,
watercolour, printmaking or film, each of these artists has the capacity to
help us look at the world afresh or to address difficult feelings – to reflect.”
Ingram
Collection Curator Jo Baring said “The
Ingram Collection is committed to showcasing our museum quality art collection
around the UK, increasing public access to and engagement with art. It is a
privilege to work with the Ferens, whose permanent collection is of such high
quality, and I’m really excited about the show that James is creating. It
promises to be both a visual treat and a timely reminder that the issues
artists were grappling with in the last century are once again relevant to
contemporary audiences.”
Kirsten Simister, Curator of Art, Ferens Art Gallery “The Ingram Collection provides a
wonderfully rich window into British modern and contemporary art that creates a
natural foil for the Ferens holdings. We’re honoured to work with the Ingram
team and freelance curator James Russell to celebrate our joint strengths and
aim to bring visitors fresh insight into many of our less familiar and more
rarely seen works as part of the exhibition.”
Reflection: British Art in an Age of Change opens at Ferens Art Gallery on August 17.
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