Pleased to be part of this show in 2023 with a work that was acquired by the British Council.
Divided Selves: Legacies, Memories, Belonging
18 Feb - 24 Sept 2023
Private View Thursday 16 February 2023, 6pm – 8pm
Alfred’s Cafe, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum,
Jordan Well, Coventry, CV1 5QP
Please RSVP to rsvp@cvlife.co.uk by 5pm by Friday 10 February for the Private View. The evening will consist of a drinks reception, speeches and a chance to
be amongst the first to see the exhibition. Please read event information below.
Divided Selves: Legacies, Memories, Belonging will be the Herbert’s first new exhibition to open next year, curated by Hammad Nasar with Rosie Addenbrooke and Alice Swatton. The exhibition explores ideas of belonging and living together.
Held across four galleries, this fascinating exhibition features work by
more than 26 different artists, duos and collectives, who examine the
physical, cultural and political infrastructures that shape our community.
The exhibition explores ideas of community, belonging and togetherness through the work of 26 different artists, duos and collectives. Held at a time where the politics of identity has been weaponised for political gain, and divisiveness is rewarded in likes, followers and votes, it presents the work of artists exploring how we:
- Make peace with difficult histories and traumatic pasts without being paralysed by them
- Listen to and amplify voices that are often ignored or suppressed
- Work as citizens of a state, and members of a community, to shape a common future
With many of the works drawn from both the British Council Collection and the Herbert’s own Peace and Reconciliation collection, Divided Selves also points to the development of the new National Collections Centre in Coventry. This major project will see the city’s former IKEA building transformed into a new home for collections managed by the British Council, the Arts Council and the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.
The exhibition is also being developed in collaboration with Coventry Cathedral, known internationally for its peace and reconciliation, which began following the destruction of the old cathedral during World War II. By creating a dialogue between artists and collecting and civic institutions, the exhibition attempts to reimagine co-ownership of public collections and cultural narratives.
31 1/2 x 39 1/2 x 1 1/2 in
Gordon Cheung's Megalopolis (study) (2019), a depiction of the future city of Jing-Jin-Ji in sand relief. Jing-Jin-Ji is a megalopolis that the Chinese government plan on creating via the consolidation of the neighbouring cities of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, with a combined population of 100-120 million, in an area larger than Britain, connected by integrated networks of high-speed transport and technological interfaces. The One Belt One Road trade map appears as a constellation in the sky, whilst a “nail house” stands in the foreground, evoking resistance to the continuously expanding power of economic interests.
Artists:
Iftikhar Dadi and Nalani Malani
Rene Matic
Larry Achiampong
Goshka Macuga
Fiona Banner
Mona Hatoum
Sofia Karim
Jane and Louise Wilson
Gordon Cheung
Hetain Patel
Aziz Hazara
Bani Andi
EVENT INFORMATION
To ensure this event is as safe as possible, we ask that all guests follow
the guidance below.
• Images and video will be recorded during the evening, by attending you confirm you are happy to
be featured within any videos or images from the event.
• If you arrive without confirming attendance in advance, we will not be able to provide entry.
• Tickets are non-transferable.
When you RSVP, please provide the following information:
• Full name
• Contact phone number
• Any access requirements you may have.
Learn more here.