Southampton City Art Gallery will reopen on Saturday (March 7) following a £2.23m refurbishment, unveiling new acquisitions and a major exhibition.
Photo: Emma Richardson - Studio portrait by James Burns ©
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The gallery, housed within the Grade II* listed Civic Centre, has undergone works supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Estate and Development Fund. The programme aims to safeguard the building and preserve the city’s nationally significant collection for future generations.
Among the highlights on display will be a series of recent acquisitions shown together for the first time, including Centrifugal Forces (2024), a sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist Laura Ford. Visitors will also see a video installation by Ian Giles, newly acquired works on paper by artists including Elisabeth Frink and Paul Nash, and charcoal drawings exploring the high Arctic by Southampton-based artist Julian Grater.
Emma Richardson. Studio portrait by James Burns ©
The reopening also launches a major new exhibition, Levitate Me: Desire, Ecstasy and The Sublime, by British artist and musician and Southampton born Emma Richardson. Alongside this, returning collection favourites - some selected by the public via social media - and newly digitised works on paper will be available to explore.
Cllr Alex Winning, leader of the council, said: “We are proud that Southampton holds one of the finest regional collections in the UK. This is largely due to the generosity of individual donors and grant giving bodies which have provided exceptional support over the years and continue to do so today. We hope that this will carry on long into the future to support our wonderful Gallery for residents of Southampton and our many visitors to enjoy.
"I can’t wait to see all the new artworks as well as Emma Richardson’s exhibition in this wonderful space that is such a great cultural asset for our city.”
Admission is free.