The British Art Show is recognised as the most pertinent and ambitious recurring exhibition of contemporary art produced in the UK, bringing the work of some of the most exciting contemporary artists to four UK cities every five years.
The curators of the British Art Show 9 (BAS9), Irene Aristizábal and Hammad Nasar, have made their artist selection after extensive research and travel across the UK. Many of the participating artists are developing new works for the exhibition, including significant new commissions supported by Art Fund, while others are presenting ambitious recent works which have not previously been seen in Britain.
British Art Show 9 has been developed at a precarious moment in Britain’s history that has brought politics, narratives of identity and questions of agency to the centre of public consciousness. The artists presented in the exhibition respond in critical ways to this complex context; imagining more hopeful futures and exploring new modes of resistance.
The artists in British Art Show 9 look at how we live with and give voice to difference, while also extending our understanding of identity to beyond the human. Their projects often blur the boundaries between art and life, and imagine alternative futures. Through their works, they propose alternative economies and ways of living together that emphasise commonality, collaboration and care.
