Curators at a Coventry gallery are building on one of their busiest ever years with three new exhibitions arriving in the first half of 2024.
The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum has revealed a trio of exhibitions running from February to June, working alongside renowned international artists and celebrating the most talented creatives in the region.
CASE: Coventry Art Societies Exhibition will see the works of around 75 local artists showcased from February 2 to March 3. It will be the first time the exhibition, which brings together art groups and societies throughout Coventry and Warwickshire, has run since lockdown.
Acclaimed photographer, writer and broadcaster Johny Pitts will bring After the End of History: Contemporary Working Class Photography 1989 - 2024, a national exhibition from Hayward Gallery Touring, to the Herbert for the first leg of its three-location tour.
Running from March 29 to June 16, it will explore the challenges, beauty and diversity of contemporary working-class life. The collection marks 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the symbolic end of Communism, with the weakening of the Soviet Union prompting economist Francis Fukuyama’s widely debated claim that Western Liberal Democracy represented an ideal form of government.
Collecting Coventry, which will kick off on May 10, will bring together incredible works and artefacts from the Herbert’s vast collections including paintings and natural sciences to fascinate lovers of arts, animals and history.
The gallery hosted a number of popular exhibitions in 2023, with Divided Selves, its most-visited exhibition of contemporary art ever, and the launch of Dippy in Coventry, on loan from the Natural History Museum until March 2026, proving hugely popular alongside the likes of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, which runs until April 1.
Marguerite Nugent, Cultural Director for CV life, which operates the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, said: “We are delighted to be following up an incredible year at the Herbert with three exhibitions that showcase both local talent and the work of renowned international artists.
“Highlights from our own collections, spanning hundreds of years of history, set the context and allow visitors to see some of our rarely seen items. We want to use this as an opportunity to consult on our collecting and display policies to help shape our future plans.
“The variety of our 2024 programme will allow fans of art, history and culture to enjoy exhibitions that feel timely and relevant and we are looking forward to welcoming even more visitors in 2024.”
For more information, visit www.theherbert.org