September 23–November 27, 2022
48 of the most exciting artists from the UK who are currently enrolled in art schools and alternative peer-to-peer learning programs are featured in the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2022 exhibition, which will debut in Hull at both Humber Street Gallery and Ferens Art Gallery.
James Richards, Veronica Ryan, and Zadie Xa, three highly regarded international artists, chose this year’s cohort of New Contemporaries. The two-stage selection process was presided over by independent curator, writer, and Chair of New Contemporaries Board Fatoş Üstek from an open call submission of more than 1,500 items. The exhibition that results showcases a wide range of perspectives and creative processes.
Selected artists for Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2022 are: Lou Baker, Ashton Blyth, Adam Boyd, Tom Bull, Velvet Butler Carroll/Rudi Blu, Danying Chen, Josh Clague, Eugenia Cuellar, bill daggs, Francesca Dobbe, Charlotte Edey, Paola Estrella, Winnie Hall, Hamish Halley, Deborah Hobson, Eva Hopper, Steph Huang, Kneed – Ishwari Bhalerao and Leonie Rousham, Gabriel Kidd, Yun Kim, Sarah Lang, Akinsola Lawanson, Lorena Levi, Rudy Loewe, Catarina Ludovico, Jemisha Maadhavji, Leily Moghtader Mojdehi, Mehmil Nadeem, Abi Ola, Beverley Onyangunga, Ciara Otuokere, Meitao Qu, Bishwadhan Rai, Divya Sharma, Nicole Sheppard, Sherie Sitauze, Katie Surridge, Yukako Tanaka, Kialy Tihngang, Emma Todd, Rosalie Wammes, Theresa Weber, Andre Williams, Dawn Wilson, Zearo and Zish.
This year’s exhibition explores concepts like the Domestic and Home; Portraiture of the Self and Others; Spirituality and Mysticism—reflecting the cultural context that influences the artists’ practice. It is organized thematically across both venues.
Portraiture of the Self and Others: Through symbolism and narrative, Jemisha Maadhavji explores the personalities and genders of people from many ethnic origins in her artwork. Maadhavji’s work, which has been heavily influenced by fashion, is known for its vibrant, strong colors and patterned materials. Catarina Ludovico‘s work focuses mostly on themes of sensuality, vulnerability, and femininity in relation to the male body. Her art, which combines photography and cinematography, focuses on the exploration of one’s own gender and sexuality.
Domestic and Home: Mehmil Nadeem‘s work highlights how memory is influenced by outside factors and the passage of time, casting doubt on memory’s accuracy as an archive. Nadeem retells stories using various techniques, enabling the artist to reimagine the past and how time is remembered. Andre Williams brings his fantasy illustrations of interiors and street scenes to life by applying his graphic drawing technique and dramatic use of color to hand screen-printed textiles, painted woodcut reliefs, furniture, and interiors.
Spirituality and Mysticism: The short film Bosode by Akinsola Lawanson examines binary mathematics, divination techniques, and the Ifá faith, which is a West African religion that originated with the Yorùbá people. Nollywoood horror and magical realist literature from Nigeria served as inspiration for the movie. The focus of Danying Chen‘s work is emotional bonding. Chen’s art examines how representations of gods, prayer, emotions, wants, and self-centered desires are presented. It draws on childhood memories of the Buddhist spirituality of her village.
New Contemporaries has held a vital role in the UK’s contemporary art scene since 1949, showcasing emerging artists some of whom have gone on to be the most internationally renowned artists of recent history including post-war figures Frank Auerbach, Bruce Lacey and Paula Rego; pop artists Frank Bowling, Patrick Caulfield and David Hockney; new media pioneers Stuart Brisley, Helen Chadwick and Derek Jarman; YBAs Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili and Gillian Wearing; alongside contemporary figures such as Tacita Dean, Sunil Gupta, Mark Leckey and Mona Hatoum. In the new millennium, we have supported exceptional artists including Monster Chetwynd, Rachel Maclean, Haroon Mirza, Laure Prouvost and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. More recently a new generation including Hardeep Pandhal, Joanna Piotrowska, Shen Xin and Imran Perretta have all been a part of the New Contemporaries story.
The artists from this year will gain from being included on the New Contemporaries online platform in addition to participating in the yearly travelling exhibition. Additionally, they will have access to a variety of mentoring opportunities, lectures, and discussion groups, including the exclusive Bridget Riley Artist Development Programme offered by New Contemporaries, all of which are designed to support the long-term viability of developing practices.
The exhibition will go to the South London Gallery for a fifth consecutive year, from December 9, 2022 to March 12, 2023, after debuting at the Humber Street Gallery and Ferens Art Gallery from September 23 to November 27, 2022.
Throughout the exhibition, both venues will be hosting supporting events as part of a public programme including online and in-venue artists’ talks, artist-led workshops and tours.
A range of visual arts activities will also be taking place in venues across Hull including Artlink and Feral Art School.
Maya Gurung-Russell Campbell, a 2021 graduate of New Contemporaries, is exhibiting her work at 87 Gallery in conjunction with Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2022 in Hull. Artist Gurung-Russell Campbell, based in Brixton, draws influence from the long-standing masquerade and mask-making customs of the Caribbean and Nepal to create dramatic landscapes that examine her dual origins. Her practice focuses on matrilineal myths and lived experience while exploring universal themes. It incorporates sound, moving image, oral history, poetry, and analog photography. The artist’s first solo show in the UK, titled Folklore Imaginary, will be on display from 24 September to 17 December 2022.