Image credit: Rick Grimster, Orchid
Galleries will open their doors from 21-24 March for the inaugural Equinox Bristol Gallery Weekend, showcasing the contemporary art scene in Bristol with a rich programme of events at a variety of art spaces, galleries, artist run projects and private art collections.
This month Bristol will be joining other cities in the UK and across Europe by holding a Gallery Weekend called Equinox Bristol. The inaugural Bristol Gallery Weekend will take place from Thursday 21 March until Sunday 24 March 2024. Most of the contemporary art galleries and art spaces from all over Bristol are taking part. There will be a range of events over the weekend. Many cities in Europe and around the world have a Gallery Weekend and have done so for many years so it’s time for Bristol to join in. A Gallery weekend happens when the art galleries in a city or area co-ordinate to hold special events over a long weekend. Participating cities include London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Milan, Oxford and Brussels.
The event is an opportunity to discover and explore Bristol’s world-class gallery scene. Celebrating the city’s diverse creative spaces with an extensive programme scheduled especially for the weekend. Including talks, private views, family workshops and special events.
Improving access to art
“Bristol has a great artistic vibe and Bristolians are known for supporting the arts, music and culture in a big way so I’m sure visitors to the galleries will find plenty to enjoy,” says Bristol Gallery Weekend co-ordinator Adrian Mantle. “There is something for all tastes; internationally known names, like Picasso, Matisse and Banksy; as well as dozens of talented local artists. I think people will appreciate the depth and diversity of the work on display in their local galleries, as well as enjoying the activities. It’s also a great opportunity to meet and talk with the artists.”
Bristol Gallery Weekend will enable greater access to culture across the city, shedding new light on the Bristol arts environment by allowing the public to discover the scene’s diversity first hand. Here are some original and contemporary art highlights to look forward to…
Hidden Gallery
Hidden Gallery in Clifton Village (6-8 The Clifton Arcade) is showing Legends on Paper throughout the duration of Bristol Gallery Weekend, with complimentary fizz served from 1-4pm on Saturday 23 March. Original prints, drawings and works on paper by the world’s most acclaimed artists, from Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, Tracey Emin, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol and many more. To RSVP for the event, please email amy@hiddengallery.co.uk. hiddengallery.co.uk
Clifton Contemporary Art
To celebrate Bristol Gallery Weekend, Clifton Contemporary Art (25 Portland Street) has created a Spring Equinox exhibition. This will feature a range of artists whose unique and diverse work showcases the depth of talent in the Bristol and West County art community. The exhibition includes oil and mixed media paintings by Anna Boss, Lynne Cartlidge, Andrew Hood, Elaine Jones, Janette Kerr and Carl Melegari, plus a range of sculpture, ceramics and jewellery. Opening times for the Bristol Gallery Weekend are Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 March 10am-5pm, and Sunday 24 March 11am-4pm. cliftoncontemporaryart.co.uk
Lime Tree Gallery
Lime Tree Gallery (85 Hotwell Road) will be showing its Spring Exhibition from 14 March until 11 April, during the Bristol Gallery Weekend. It’s a mixed exhibition featuring still life, abstract, figurative and landscape painting by many of Lime Tree’s regular gallery artists limetreegallery.com
Rainmaker Gallery
Founder of Rainmaker Gallery (140 Whiteladies Road) Joanne Price is marking Bristol Gallery Weekend by giving free curator tours of her spring exhibition on Friday 22 March between 2-5pm. The exhibition features painting and photography from three Indigenous artists: Cara Romero, Chemhuevi photographer; Rick Grimster, Mvskoke painter; and Randy L Barton, neo-contemporary Native artist, designer, dancer, DJ and music producer from the Navajo Nation in Arizona. rainmakerart.co.uk
Studio 74
March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month, so Studio 74 will be celebrating the legacy and life of late acclaimed artist Antonio Russo (known as ‘Stony’). Studio 74 will be the first gallery to privately showcase his full body of work, which has ties to urban and street art, with twists of abstraction and features of his own personal quotes and mantras. The show will run from Thursday 21 (when the private view will be held) to Saturday 23 March 10am-5.30pm and on Sunday 24 March 11am-4pm. studio74contemporaryart.com
Full details at bristolgalleryweekend.org.uk
