Publications

All that glitters is Goldsmiths

By: David Briers

David Briers examines The British Art Show 4.

The press releases, catalogue blurbs, and opening speeches all speak of the fourth ‘British Art Show’ as “the most ambitious to date”. It is certainly ambitious in the number of sites and venues through which the show is spread, in each of the cities it is visiting (Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh). However, in every other way – except perhaps for how much it all cost – the fourth ‘British Art Show’ is the least ambitious of the series. The smallest number of artists is exhibited, with the least representation of artists working in Wales, Scotland or the North of England, where the exhibition is to be shown. It is also the least ambitious in terms of imagination expended by the selection. In 1977, Michael Harrison, then Exhibitions Organiser at the Arts Council, circulated an idea for a touring exhibition that would aim “to show the best of British art and to include between 100 and 150 artists”. The first ‘British Art Show’ in 1979 had one selector, William Packer, who conscientiously visited exhibitions and studios nationwide and came up with a “broad survey of British painting and sculpture”. The second...

. . . to read the rest of this resource

and access all Knowledge Bank and Publication articles subscribe online - from only £6.

Go back »