Sheffield's Visual Art Collection includes artworks from the 15th century to the present day and explores a huge variety of themes and ideas. The Graves Gallery is home to the Collection and is located on the top floor of Sheffield's landmark Central Library building. The building opened in 1934 as a state-of-the-art cultural centre for literacy and art supported by J G Graves, one of the city's most generous philanthropists.
The current displays show artworks from the Collection on the themes of Abstraction, colour and form; identity and place; portraiture and the human figure, and perspectives on overlooked histories. They include works by Gwen John, Naum Gabo, Claudette Johson, Edna Manley, Bridget Riley, John Hoyland, John Singer Sargent and Mark Wallinger.
Sheffield Museums believe that the city's Collection prompts many wide-ranging conversations and we are interested in how artists can use these conversations to explore ideas and develop their practice. Many consider the Graves Gallery to be an 'oasis' in the city centre, and we would like to continue to build on this reputation through nurturing dialogues between Sheffield's Collection and artists.
This is an opportunity for an artist/s to create new work in dialogue with an artwork from Sheffield's collection, bringing different perspectives to the fore.
Visitor feedback tells us that juxtaposing contemporary and historic artworks can facilitate more opportunities for people to reflect and enable them to consider the themes and ideas explored in more depth. We would like to encourage visitors (and people who don't currently visit) to feel an ownership of, and connection with, their Visual Art Collection. This opportunity is open to all visual artists including those from underrepresented communities and those with valuable lived experience that can offer new perspectives on the Visual Art Collection and individual works within it.