Contemporary artist returns to Wolverhampton in new exhibition

Keith Piper will be returning to Wolverhampton Art Gallery in October to showcase his new works in an exhibition entitled "Body Politics - Work from 1981 to 2007".

The exhibition will bring together key works from the first three decades of his career, including some that have not been seen for over 20 years, such as the Trophies of Empire and Trade Winds.

The pieces displayed share the same starting point embedded in issues related to the ‘black body’, interlocked with the politics of the moment as well as examining various narrative strategies, including still and moving images, as well as written and spoken words and their evolution across three decades.

The exhibition, which will run from Thursday, October 10, to Sunday, December 1, is curated chronologically, exploring recurrent interests in the artist’s work and is spread across three gallery rooms.

Councillor Harman Banger, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, was pleased to see Keith return to Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

He said: “Keith Piper has had a long-standing career and has been a key player in the Black Art Movement and contemporary art.

“I am pleased to see that him and his art work will be returning to Wolverhampton to share his interest in history, the movement of people, the political angle, and introducing visitors to new technologies and how stories can be told through different art forms.

‘The exhibition gives visitors the chance to immerse themselves in Keith Piper’s work.”

Keith, who first exhibited his work at the art gallery in 1981 in the ground-breaking exhibition Black Art an’ Done as a member of a group of young artists of African Caribbean descent based in the West Midlands, has tied his exhibition in with Black History Month.

The exhibition opens with a private viewing event on Wednesday, October 9, with an exhibition talk and tour with Keith available.

If you are interested in attending, go to art.gallery@wolverhampton.gov.uk