Event type: Exhibition

Philip Wilson Steer: In Conversation F...

Born in Birkenhead, Philip Wilson Steer was a pioneer of impressionism in Britain during the late nineteenth century.

Studying in Paris in the 1880s, he was exposed to this radical way of painting after seeing works by the likes of Degas and Manet.

With his loose approach to painting and depictions of scenes that were seen as indecent for the time, Steer was widely ridiculed on his return to London, but eventually gained acclaim and prestige with the increasing influence of the New English Art Club and his teaching post at the Slade School of Art. Later in his career, Steer was inspired by masters of English landscape painting, such as Constable and Turner, with examples of these works being found in the exhibition.

As well as showcasing the Williamson’s collection of Steer, this exhibition will bring his work into conversation with both his contemporaries and local artists who followed in his footsteps. This will showcase his personal approach to colour and painting, but will also show the limitations of his radicalism, largely through his approach to depicting women.

The Williamson’s collection of works by Steer has long been considered a highlight of our collections, which we are delighted to be able to display a significant number of in this exhibition.

Albert Richards

March 2025 will mark 80 years since the passing of Albert Richards, the youngest official war artist to be killed in action during WWII. The Williamson holds over two hundred of his works, spanning from his days at the Wallasey School of Art to the frontlines of France in 1944. These works show the incredible talent that Richards possessed, and his influences, from surrealism to Art Deco.

As well as displaying works by artists that inspired him and worked alongside him, such as Stanley Spencer and George Jardine, this exhibition will commemorate his life as a soldier, in which he served a key role in the D-Day landings. This incredible personal narrative, mixed with his unique style of painting, makes him one of the biggest ‘what ifs?’ in twentieth century British art.

The Plant that Stowed Away

Through art in the Tate Collection, The Plant that Stowed Away traces the connections between the trading history of cities like Liverpool and the global movements of plants and people.

This display is inspired by the Weeds of Wallasey series by Wirral-born photographer Chris Shaw which highlights the battle between nature and the post-industrial landscape of the area where he grew up.

The Plant that Stowed Away builds on the narratives in Shaw’s imagery, drawing attention to the extraction and shipping of plants and other products of trade. It highlights how urban and natural environments have been changed by industrialisation, colonisation, and migration.

The display includes collage by French modernist Henri Matisse, the Afro-futurist photography of Cristina de Middel, Turner Prize-nominated artist Delanie Le Bas’s textile work and Kader Attia’s caustic film exploring our relationship with oil and sugar.

Image Credit: Henri Matisse, The Dancer 1949. Tate.

Future Retrospective Art Exhibition

“Future Retrospective” is an art exhibition that explores how our future is intricately woven into the fabric of the past.

Event

This unique event brings together a diverse collection of artworks spanning multiple mediums and disciplines, all unified by a common theme: the profound impact of historical moments and cultural heritage on contemporary creativity and societal evolution.

Big Tiny Worlds

Gill Smith is a Liverpool based illustrator, working mostly in children’s books. This exhibition brings together work created for published picture books, children’s fiction and personal projects over the last 5 years.

For as long as she can remember, she has loved to draw people, capturing their expressions and mannerisms. Illustrating stories allows her into a character’s mind, to see the world through their eyes. She is inspired by everyday life, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.

She graduated with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge school of Art in 2019. Previously Gill worked as a primary teacher, community artist and as a designer and maker. Her work has been short listed for The Klaus Flugge Prize for Illustration 2023 and longlisted for The Yoto Carnegie Prize for picture books.