RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW:
21st-Century Art
An exhibition presenting the art of this millennium has just opened at Chester’s Grosvenor Museum. ‘Right Here, Right Now: 21st-Century Art’ runs until 8 May.
Councillor Samantha Dixon, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “The 21st century ‘comes of age’ in 2018. Arranged around the themes of people and animals, landscapes and buildings, still life, faith and abstraction, the exhibition celebrates the quality and diversity of art made since the year 2000. With fifty-seven paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints by forty-two artists, this diverse exhibition offers multiple pleasures. Encompassing a rich variety of media, styles and emotions, the exhibition demonstrates the Grosvenor Museum’s commitment to collecting and displaying contemporary art. Come and enjoy the art of our time!”
Councillor Dixon continued: “We are enormously grateful for the acquisition funds provided by the Arts Council England / Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund, and for the generous donation of artworks by the Tyrer Charitable Trust, the Alan Cristea Gallery, and many of the artists. We owe a particular debt of gratitude to the Grosvenor Museum Society, which has generously supported this exhibition with funding for acquisitions and conservation.”
Richard Hopkinson, Deputy Chairman of the Grosvenor Museum Society, said: “The Grosvenor Museum has been building a collection of contemporary art since 1992, acquiring work by artists connected with Cheshire and North Wales. The collection aims to document and celebrate creativity, to encourage learning and reflection, to delight the eye and fire the imagination. I am extremely pleased that the Grosvenor Museum Society has been able to support the development of the collection and the creation of this exciting exhibition.”
The exhibition was opened by Professor Timothy Wheeler, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester, who said: “It is fantastic to see such a wide range of contemporary art in the heart of Chester city centre. The University is proud to support such examples of creativity, and I’d like to thank the Grosvenor Museum for their commitment to collecting and displaying such interesting pieces.”
Highlights of the exhibition include Andrew Tift’s photo-realist acrylic portrait of Cheshire author ‘Alan Garner’, while Jude Howells expresses political outrage at the destruction of animals in her acrylic painting ‘What are we swallowing.com’. Ann Lewis celebrates the beauty of nature in her landscape linocut ‘Return to Presipe’, contrasting with Chris Faircloth’s majestic image of the built environment in his acrylic painting ‘Flyover’. John Whitehill’s oil painting ‘Left Hanging 1’ presents an unusually dramatic still life, while Marguerite Elliott’s oil painting ‘For God so loved the world’ is a passionate expression of her faith. The rich variety of abstract art ranges from the voluptuous colours of Ian Davenport’s ‘Citric Etching’ to the thrilling complexity of Sharon Lelonek’s drawing
‘Spiral 1’.
The programme of accompanying adult events includes:
Daily. Guided Walking Tours of Chester with the Guild of Chester Tour Guides.
Saturdays 20 & 27 January. Creating Art: Workshops.
Thursday 8 March. Exhibition Tour with Peter Boughton.
Wednesday 28 March. Art Class: Acrylics.
Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 April. Slow Art Day.
There is also a programme of family activities:
Saturday 2 December. Welcome to Winter.
Wednesday 3 January. Design your own Calendar.
Monday 19 February. Abstract Paper Things.
Tuesday 20 February. Emoji Badges.
Tuesday 3 April. Strips and Stripes.
Thursday 5 April. Easter Icons.
Tuesday 10 April. Cityscapes.
Wednesday 11 April. Live Art.
Thursday 12 April. Spyglass Colour Wheel.
The Grosvenor Museum is open Monday – Saturday 10.30-5 and Sunday 1-4, admission free, donations welcome. Closed 24-28 December, 1 January & 30 March.
