From celebrations of Victorian art to an unlikely partnership with the iconic macLYON in France, check out our picks of the best exhibitions coming to Birmingham this autumn.
The Victoria and Albert Museum houses close to 1,000 botanical illustrations, ranging from scientific diagrams documenting medicinal plants to merchandising images.
While perhaps an unlikely source, many of these plants hold remarkable stories — from being used as life-saving remedies to sunflowers that have outgrown the radiation at Chornobyl.
The talented University of Birmingham MA Art History and Curating students have developed this exhibition in response to some of those intriguing stories, marking the first project in a new annual partnership between the Barber, the V&A and the University.
An incredibly exciting collaboration sees Ikon and macLYON come together for a joint-exhibition tied together by the theme of ‘friendship’.
Friends in Love and War – L’Éloge des meilleur·es ennemi·es features artwork from renowned names including Tracey Emin, Paula Rego, Sonia Boyce, Kenneth Armitage and Lubaina Himid, as well several fantastic artists local to Birmingham.
In total, works from more than 20 artists from the British Council Collection and macLYON will go on display, all exploring and interrogating how friendship is a fundamental human relationship that is integral to individual and societal wellbeing.
Birmingham Science Museum’s latest exhibition delves into the long history of coding, accompanied by incredible stories of local people, both past and present, who use coding in their work.
Makers and Machines also explores the implications of new technologies like AI, challenging visitors to uncover three object labels that have been written by an AI chatbot rather than a human.
Rare objects on display include the HEC computer, one of the oldest surviving electronic computers in the world, along with an array of digital and analogue devices and classic game designs.
Not your typical exhibition, The Bothy is a permanent outdoor installation set in the Minerva Apothecary Garden on the Grand Union Canalside.
Created by British-Barbadian artist Alberta Whittle, along with Birmingham-based women’s organisations and MJM Bespoke, the structure is modelled on a traditional Scottish both, which provides temporary, free shelter for anyone to use, and is intended as a place for people to rest and take in views of the sky and surrounding land.
The Bothy is part of Whittle’s long-term artist project with Grand Union titled Congregation: Creating Dangerously. The building’s design references Barbadian Chattel House in the area, connecting the Grand Union Canal to the Apothecary Garden, and is large enough to hold ten people at a time.
Victorian Radicals spotlights three generations of British artists, designers and makers who revolutionised the visual arts in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Selected from the city of Birmingham’s outstanding collection, the exhibition presents vibrant paintings and exquisite drawings alongside jewellery, glass, textiles and metalwork to explore their radical vision for art and society.
Fresh from an award-winning tour of the US, Victorian Radicals marks the first comprehensive showing of the city’s Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts collections in Birmingham for over five years.
Open Wed – Sun until at least Christmas in Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s Gas Hall.
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Fri 27 Sep 2024
The RBSA Prize Exhibition, an open media collection of contemporary work, will run at the RBSA Gallery until mid-October.
The biennial celebration showcases an eclectic mix of work across several different mediums. All work has been selected by an expert panel of judges, with artists encouraged to employ contemporary practices.
Work from artists both established and emerging from all around the world will be displayed as part of the RBSA prize exhibition, making this a fantastic opportunity to see exceptional work from global talent at varying stages in their careers.