Major autumn art show confirmed for Plymouth: Artists Make Faces

Lucian Freud, LS Lowry, Frank Auerbach and Marc Quinn are among the internationally celebrated artists whose works will be on display in Artists Make Faces, an exhibition of nearly 60 artworks at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery this autumn.

Artists Make Faces, 21 September – 7 December 2013, is the vision of Monika Kinley OBE, a pioneering curator who moved to the Plymouth area in 2005 and who was recognised in the 2012 New Year’s Honours List for her services to the arts.

The exhibition is a realisation of a long-held idea of Monika’s to create a show of works where artists have taken the face and used it as a canvas to explore different themes, rather than just producing standard portraits. It will feature a distinctive and personal selection of works from public art galleries and collections including Arts Council England, Tate and the Whitworth Art Gallery. Some of the works that will be on display have not previously toured.

The exhibition will be presented in partnership with Peninsula Arts, Plymouth University.

“Artists Make Faces is a significant show for Plymouth, celebrating not only the artists on display but Monika herself, who has an amazing story of her own,” said Deputy Council Leader, Peter Smith. “She worked at the Tate Gallery (now Tate Britain) shop in the 1950s where she developed contacts with many artists, critics and writers.

“From the 1960s, she devoted herself to discovering and promoting the unknown artists she admired – some of whom are considered to be among the greatest of their generation today. We’re very pleased to be working with such an influential figure from the UK’s post-war contemporary art world – and to be exhibiting works by so many different artists in this show.”

Artists Make Faces will include works by famous names such as LS Lowry, Frank Auerbach, Gilbert and George, Eduardo Paolozzi and Lucian Freud, as well as other artists who Monika has admired throughout her career such as Sava Sekulic, Albert Louden and Richard Nie.

“We are absolutely delighted to support Artists Make Faces, which recognises the important contribution of Monika Kinley and features an amazing line-up of significant artists from the 20th century,” says Sarah Chapman, Director, Peninsula Arts. “Peninsula Arts is committed to bringing the highest quality arts and culture to the communities of Plymouth and the region and we are pleased to be able to continue this through our partnership with Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery.”

Artists Make Faces will be backed with an event programme that will include special guided tours, short talks highlighting key artists, lunchtime lectures and family workshops. Special events will also take place at Peninsula Arts, Plymouth University and Plymouth Arts Centre.

For more information on Artists Make Faces and on curator Monika Kinley’s vision behind the exhibition, please click here.

Visiting the exhibition:
Where:                 Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AJ
Dates:                   21 September – 7 December 2013
Hours:                   10am – 5.30pm Tuesday to Friday; 10am – 5pm Saturday
Admission:          Admission is free of charge
Website:              www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumpcmag.htm/