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Countdown on for British Art Show 9 in Plymouth

Cat-tharis by Andy Holden: cat figurines on a table with screen in front, with cat
Cat-tharis by Andy Holden

A real blockbuster of a show of UK contemporary art rolls into Plymouth this week.

Four of Plymouth’s top arts venues will host British Art Show 9 at The Box, KARST, The Levinsky Gallery at the University of Plymouth and MIRROR at Arts University Plymouth from Saturday 8 October.

The landmark exhibition features 37 artists, including six Turner Prize nominees and three Turner Prize winners.

The British Art Show takes a critical look at art in the UK and many of the artists in BAS9 have responded to or explored issues connected to key events that have taken place during the last five years, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter.

Produced by Hayward Gallery Touring, and curated by Irene Aristizábal and Hammad Nasar, BAS9 has evolved with each city it has visited, with a different combination of artworks and artists that respond to each location.

In Plymouth, the exhibition centres on the migration of bodies, peoples, plants, objects, ideas, and forms; taking inspiration from the city’s history as a port, its role as a start and finish point for many journeys, as well as the encounters between British and other cultures that have and continue to enrich our lives.

There’s a wide range of film, photography, multimedia, painting, sculpture and performance. A programme of artist films and events will also be on offer featuring gallery talks, artist talks, special events and creative family activities.

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Victoria Pomery, CEO at The Box said: “BAS9 is such a timely exhibition that looks at many of the things we’ve all been impacted by over the last few years. The works on display will fascinate, challenge and inspire people in equal measure, as they see how each of the artists have used their practice to respond to the complex time we’ve all been living through. Most of all, it’s a real blockbuster of a show that we are thrilled to be hosting. Whether you’re avid art-lover or a first-time visitor, we hope people will make the most of this amazing opportunity to see some of the country’s most exciting artists – right here in Plymouth.”

British Art Show 9 is a Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition presented in collaboration with the cities of Aberdeen, Wolverhampton, Manchester and Plymouth.

Brian Cass, Senior Curator, Hayward Gallery Touring, said: “We’re really looking forward to returning to Plymouth, just over ten years on from the last time it hosted a British Art Show. In 2011, it was the first time a number of the city’s galleries had worked collaboratively to stage such a major contemporary art exhibition and it created a real impact and legacy.

"We’re delighted to be working with The Box, KARST, the Levinsky Gallery, MIRROR and Plymouth Culture on this exhibition by a range of remarkable artists, and hope this iteration of the show will create conversations, challenge perceptions and encourage visitors to reflect on this unique time that the art world and society in general finds itself in.”

www.madeinplymouth.co.uk/bas9