We are delighted to unveil today the full list of 38 works by 21 artists that have been acquired for the nation in 2019/20, funded by the National Lottery. The Arts Council Collection continue to support and promote British art and artists by buying their work at an early or critical stage in their career, making it immediately available, on loan, to the nation’s museums and public institutions including schools, universities, hospitals and charitable associations.
Several works acquired this year reflect on themes of climate change and the current rate of destruction of our environment. Alberta Whittle (b.1980) was born in Barbados, her work frequently reflects on the legacies of slavery, colonialism and the current climate crisis. At the time Whittle began making the video work acquired by the Collection between a whisper and a cry (film still pictured), 2019 the Caribbean had experienced three consecutive years of devastating hurricanes and storms and the work takes this as its starting point. Other works that reflect on humanity’s impact on nature are the bronze sculptures acquired by Grace Schwindt part of her investigation into the fragility of the body in relation to a world driven by capitalist motivations.
The new acquisitions include works by a number of early career artists including Emma Talbot who was recently awarded the prestigious Max Mara Prize 2020. Emma Talbot’s practice spans drawing, painting, installation and sculpture. Her work is often made up of autobiographical imagery, and tends to reflect on the difficulties of contemporary life, interwoven with vibrant patterns and motifs. Her painting on silk, acquired by the collection, The Mountain, Time After Time (pictured), 2016 is an honest reflection on the relationship between Talbot and her teenage son.
Artist Emma Talbot said about her works being added to the Collection:
“Inclusion in the Arts Council Collection warrants an acknowledgement of my practice that is meaningful to me. It is great to have my work in the company of major artworks in such an exciting collection, especially with the knowledge that the work now has the potential to be seen by such a wide audience.”