Since 2009, Nottingham Contemporary has hosted over fifty exhibitions, displaying the work of over 500 artists. This issue, we celebrate one of the biggest creative hubs in Nottingham, and all the wonderful things it does for our community. We spoke to a slew of the Contemporary’s staff to find out their favourite memories from the past ten years…
Exhibition Highlights
2009
Hockney 1960-1968: A Marriage of Styles
The first exhibition to grace the new art galleries started with a splash. During this timeframe, Hockney’s paintings were heavily influenced by Abstract Expressionism. He used symbolism, oils, gay slang and numbers to refer to his own identity and those of other men. The Americana perfection he curated was a huge contribution to Postmodern contemporary art.
2013
Aquatopia: The Imaginary of the Ocean Deep
We may not exactly be near the ocean in Nottingham, but this exhibition brought it to us. The Contemporary collaborated with the Tate St Ives in Cornwall to bring together over 150 artists as they explored the depths of the ocean across time. Aquatopia allowed us to think less about what the ocean is in reality and more about what it means to us internally. Freedom, creatures, depth and mystery were all recurring themes.
2017
The Place is Here: The Work of Black Artists in 1980s Britain
This exhibition brought together works from over thirty black artists and collectives; with everything drawn from the eighties, The Place is Here featured photography, painting, sculpture and film from a time of divisive national politics. Reflecting conversations around Britain’s colonial past, the Civil Rights Movement, black feminism, and apartheid, the exhibition was a montage of ideas that remain important today.
2018
Still I Rise: Feminisms, Gender, Resistance Part 1
Women in history and women making history. This exhibition explored the role of female resistance movements from the nineteenth century to present. The focus was on community, collaboration, civil rights, black lives and egalitarianism. With a special mention to Maya Angelou’s poem, the exhibition presented art in an exciting way that allowed feminist and queer ideas to run wild across the galleries.
Celebrate with Nottingham Contemporary at their 10th birthday party, all day on Saturday 21 September. There’ll be interactive lights, performances, family activities, live music and cake, all for free.
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