This exhibition presents a selected survey of historical and recent work by seminal British artist Stuart Brisley (b. Surrey, 1933). Brisley has been an important figure in British art for sixty years, known for his consistently rigorous interrogation of the political conventions of our time.
From his early projects in 1960s post-war Germany and his recurring engagement with the politics of Northern Ireland, to his more recent critique of the British monarchy and systems of power at play in contemporary society, Brisley’s profound and singular voice resonates deeply with a younger generation of artists and audiences today.
Brisley is probably best known for a series of key performance related works created in the 1970s and 80s that re-defined what ‘performance art’ might be and encompass. What is often forgotten, however, is the critical importance and sheer breadth of the work he has developed alongside his performative practice which includes painting, photography, sculpture, video and drawing.
In a time of increasing political, social and economic polarisation, Stuart Brisley’s examination of societal norms and prejudices is as relevant and compelling as it ever was and this exhibition highlights the urgency of this critique which Brisley has relentlessly pursued throughout his lifetime