The Nottingham Contemporary

Whilst the rest of my course our enjoying a Uni trip to NYC for an entire week, I thought it'd be a smart idea to keep myself busy and try not to lazy about!

I have finally decided to take a trip to The Nottingham Contemporary alongside one of my friends which is also studying the same course as me.

The Nottingham Contemporary is an art centre located in the Lace Market area.

Quite an unusual shaped building and one of the weirdest I've ever seen.

One amazing feature about the exterior of the building was the lace incorporated in the ridges - you can only see it properly if you're right up close! 

The presentation is structured around four overlapping groupings, each of which is titled after a work on display: Signs Of Empire; We Will Be; The People's Account; and Convenience Not Love. The Place Is Here exhibition displayed various paintings, sculptures, photography, film and archives. Browsing through each room I was questioning myself on what this exhibition was trying to ask - I believe it was questioning identity, representation and what culture is for - which till today remain a touchy subject. 

In 1982, a group of artists and thinkers met in Wolverhampton at the First National Black Art Convention, to discuss the 'future, form and function of Black Art'. Two years later, the second 'working convention' took place in Nottingham. What constitutes 'Black Art' or the 'Black Arts Movement' was, and continues to be heavily contested. 

The Place Is Here exhibition traces some of the urgent conversations that were taking place between black artists, thinkers and writers during the 1980's. 

Many artists were looking at the Civil Rights movement in America, Black Feminism, Pan-Africanism, the struggle over apartheid, and the emergent fields of postcolonial and cultural studies. The Place Is Here exhibition assembles different positions, voices and media to present a shifting portrait of a decade while refusing to pin it down. 

I absolutely loved this exhibition that I ended up going again with my boyfriend when he came to visit me in Nottingham. I can't recommend this exhibition enough - it's so inspiring and needed! To understand and feel just 1% of the political and cultural issues happening in the 80's to me was a trip worth while. 

The Nottingham Contemporary does give tours around the galleries for anybody interested - it's completely free and they do accept donations. If you're ever around Nottingham - make sure this is on your to-do list!

Brandi Kristine