Exhibition

Humanity

9 Jan 2023 – 27 Jan 2023

Regular hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 – 18:00
Wednesday
10:00 – 18:00
Thursday
10:00 – 18:00
Friday
10:00 – 18:00
Saturday
10:00 – 18:00
Sunday
10:00 – 18:00

Free admission

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Sotheby's

London
England, United Kingdom

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Arts charity Outside In exhibits work by 80 artists in new touring exhibition, ‘Humanity’, which opens at Sotheby’s London on 9 January 2023.

About

Award-winning arts charity Outside In, which provides a platform for artists facing significant barriers to the art world, is to show work by 80 artists in a new exhibition ‘Humanity’, opening at Sotheby’s London in January 2023 before touring to Glasgow and Brighton later in the year.

This is the sixth National Open exhibition organised by the charity, which was established in 2006 to assist artists facing barriers due to health, disability, social circumstance and isolation. The national call-out attracted a record number of entries by 500 artists. Over half of the works on show are by artists who have never exhibited with Outside In before and many have not previously exhibited at all. Images of submitted work will be shown on large screens at each exhibition alongside the 80 selected pieces. Shortlisted work will be judged by artist Bob and Roberta Smith, following in the footsteps of previous judges including Grayson Perry and Cathie Pilkington. The winning artist will have their own solo exhibition in 2024, and there will be two other prizes of art materials on offer.

There has never been a time in recent history where the theme of humanity has had such direct relevance to the world we are living in. The challenges posed by environmental change, war and COVID-19 have left us to consider what it is to be a human and how to behave humanely. Outside In artists have interpreted humanity from a wide variety of perspectives, both personal and global, and include paintings and drawings, sculpture, ceramics, photography, film and performance pieces.

The frailty of the human condition informs Simon Le Boggit’s ‘Kidney Stone Henge’, a micro-sculpture constructed from the artist’s own kidney stones, and the inevitability of our demise is reflected in the works of artists Alistair Clayton, Kathryn Moores and Billy Weston with their recurring skull motifs. ‘Seeing Other People’ by Jiffy and ‘Father’s Love’ by Elaine Preece Stanley joyously celebrate the warmth of human interaction and family love.  As humanity collectively looks to its future, other-worldly and extra-terrestrial themes influence works including ‘Beam Me Up’ by Suzie Larke and ‘The Visitors’ by Simon Powell.

Queer, non-binary artist Naoibh McNamee uses costume and performance to turn autistic experiences into moments of celebration, whilst human courage is celebrated in ‘RNLI Saves Refugees’ by Ian Barnes. The mirror of humanity is turned back onto the artists themselves in the self-portraiture of ‘Me’ by Louise Robertson and ‘Walking in The Trees in All Seasons’ by David Lorimer and simple, shared pleasures provide the focus for ‘A Man and a Woman in the Park. They are eating Chocolate’ by John Black.

Human and animal sensibilities and souls intermingle within the surreal works ‘Breeder’ by Patricia Shrigley and in Shrio S Parr’s ‘Hamlet’, where the Shakespearean character is re-imagined in badger form. A number of collaged pieces by artists including Helen Grundy, Khaki Kezz Za and Sajida Assif tackle the fragmentation of human identity. Elsewhere, a tactile sculptural piece by blind artist Lynn Cox represents Humanity’s possible salvation in monster form and the complexities of gender identity are presented in ’52 Years of Transgender’ by The Phantomat.  

Frances Christie, Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s UK & Ireland, comments: “Sotheby's is thrilled to be welcoming Outside In back to New Bond Street. The charity provides instrumental support to those artists who are often overlooked and we couldn't be more excited to provide what we hope will be a great platform to showcase their enormous talent in our galleries.“

Outside In’s founder and Director, Marc Steene, adds: “The learning and insight into the human condition that this exhibition provides is profound, all the more so for coming from artists not often given centre stage. It illustrates the incredible creativity and wisdom that is on offer if we look beyond the boundaries of convention.”

Guest artist and 2023 judge Bob and Roberta Smith, whose exhibition ‘Thamesmead Codex’ is showing at Tate Modern until May 2023, comments: “Outside In does important work with artists and I am looking forward to learning and finding out more about their work. When judging the submitted artworks, I will be looking out for great stories and colours, intense drawing and musical shapes."

‘Humanity’ runs at Sotheby’s London from 9–27 January 2023, before touring to Project Ability in Glasgow in summer 2023 and Brighton & Hove Museums in winter 2023.

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