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Contemporary Art Exhibitions

WINK WINK

An exhibition celebrating queer lived experience.

Curated by Garth Gratrix  

The artists include Harold Offeh, Ro Robertson, SHARP, Topher Campbell, Chester Tenneson, Jez Dolan, Derek Jarman, Rene Matić, Helen Cammock, Daniel Fountain, Sarah-Joy Ford, Garth Gratrix, Jenkin van Zyl, Trackie McLeod, Harry Clayton-Wright, Jacob Talkowski, Parham Ghalamdar, Sunil Gupta, Lothar Götz, Ally Rosenberg, Will Hughes, Rafal Zajko, Stuart Semple and Jonathan Baldock.

WINK WINK playfully hosts a space to navigate these thoughts and experience other lives we may not see or be in allyship with regularly. Sculpture, drawing, mixed media, textile and film are installed through The Whitaker engaging us with work that represents and abstracts identity.

Visitors can explore and follow what they are drawn to, curious by, and stumble across. It isn’t telling you anything, it simply invites you to cruise and world differently for a moment. Let us flirt with how else we may do things tomorrow.

View the brochure for the exhibition

Join us for our closing event on Sunday 23 July.

  • Dates
    Thursday 18th May 2023 – Sunday 23rd July 2023
This event is supported by the Arts Council England

This event has expired. Bookings are no longer being taken.

WINK WINK is inspired by an article titled ‘Appearing Differently; Abstraction, Transgressions and Capacities‘  an article by critics David Getsy and William J Simmons.

In this, they explored the idea of ‘worlding differently’, in the context of queer lived experience and art making. Queerness can allow us to harness a myriad of experiences – familiar or unfamiliar to us. It refuses a binary definition in favour of embracing nuance subversion and expression in a variety of forms. Its perceived deviance could perhaps be acknowledged as longer-term experimentation and development.

Where are we going, what is the change we want to see in the world? It’s about not waiting for inclusion, in favour of taking up space and sharing space more widely. Can queerness act as a better kaleidoscope to look at life through than the notion of normality?

 

Image Credits:

  • SHARP, Title: BEACON (without words I found myself home on our stomping ground) (2022). Image by Arlo Lawton; 
  • Trackie McLeod, Title: MILK LEMONADE CHOCOLATE (2022), Neon light, acrylic box;
  • Harry Clayton Wright, Title: Mr Blackpool (2023). Image by Matt Crockett, Make up by Guy Common, Costume Design by Ryan Dawson Laight;
  • Stuart Semple, Title: DIRTY NUMB ANGEL BOY (after underworld) (2022);
  • Jonathan Baldock, Title: Maske LXXX (2020). Credits: Copyright Jonathan Baldock. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo by Todd-White Art Photography.
  • Helen Cammock, Title: Concrete Feathers Porcelain Tacks (2021)  Courtesy of the artist and Kate MacGarry, London 

Additional notes:

  • Recommended age group is for guidance only if you have any questions on suitability please speak to one of our team members or email learning@thewhitaker.org
  • All activities are fully inclusive, please contact our team on learning@thewhitaker.org if you have any specific questions on accessibility
  • Unless otherwise stated, for family workshops you only need to book a ticket for each child attending. Accompanying adult is free
  • Activities can be booked via our website or by visiting our Welcome Desk
  • Whilst some activities are offered free due to our current funding from ACE and HLF, we have introduced ‘pay what you can’ for some events with a suggested donation. We appreciate donations to ensure we can keep activities running in the future
  • Our events cancellation policy can be accessed here.

What's On

Page 1 2

Family Activities

Early Years Studio: Autumn & Winter 2023

This is a permanent event

Free Entry

Pop-Up Handling Sessions

This is a permanent event

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Guided Tour of the Museum

This is a permanent event

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Paddy Campbell Outside In – Inside Out

Thursday 27th July 2023 – Sunday 24th September 2023

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Helen Angell, Harriet Mena Hill & Mandy Payne: Travels Through The Valley of Stone

Thursday 27th July 2023 – Sunday 24th September 2023

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

British Textile Biennial: Fragments of Our Time

Friday 29th September 2023 – Sunday 10th December 2023

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

British Textile Biennial: Fragments of Our Time – Opening Event

Saturday 30th September 2023

Films at The Whitaker

Rye Lane

Thursday 5th October 2023

Ticketed

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

British Textile Biennial – Curatorial walk through

Saturday 7th October 2023

Family Activities

Family Antics at the Museum

Saturday 7th October 2023

Workshops & Performances

Hands up Who’s Happy?

Thursday 12th October 2023

Workshops & Performances

Weaving Workshop with Jennifer Reid

Saturday 14th October 2023

Films at The Whitaker

Grace Jones: Bloodlight And Bami

Thursday 19th October 2023

Ticketed

Free Entry

Fragments of Our Time Family Textile Workshop

Sunday 22nd October 2023

Family Activities

Halloween Antics at the Museum!

Wednesday 25th October 2023

Family Activities

Pumpkin Trail

Saturday 28th October 2023 – Sunday 29th October 2023

Family Activities

Halloween special: Curator’s Talk

Saturday 28th October 2023 – Sunday 29th October 2023

Films at The Whitaker

The Fablemans

Thursday 2nd November 2023

Ticketed

Family Activities

Family Antics at the Museum

Saturday 4th November 2023

Family Activities

Cottonshed Theatre Company: Beware of the Doll

Thursday 9th November 2023

Page 1 2

Family Activities

Early Years Studio: Autumn & Winter 2023

This is a permanent event

Free Entry

Pop-Up Handling Sessions

This is a permanent event

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Guided Tour of the Museum

This is a permanent event

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Paddy Campbell Outside In – Inside Out

Thursday 27th July 2023 – Sunday 24th September 2023

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Helen Angell, Harriet Mena Hill & Mandy Payne: Travels Through The Valley of Stone

Thursday 27th July 2023 – Sunday 24th September 2023

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

British Textile Biennial: Fragments of Our Time

Friday 29th September 2023 – Sunday 10th December 2023

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

British Textile Biennial: Fragments of Our Time – Opening Event

Saturday 30th September 2023

Films at The Whitaker

Rye Lane

Thursday 5th October 2023

Ticketed

Contemporary Art Exhibitions

British Textile Biennial – Curatorial walk through

Saturday 7th October 2023

Family Activities

Family Antics at the Museum

Saturday 7th October 2023

Workshops & Performances

Hands up Who’s Happy?

Thursday 12th October 2023

Workshops & Performances

Weaving Workshop with Jennifer Reid

Saturday 14th October 2023

Films at The Whitaker

Grace Jones: Bloodlight And Bami

Thursday 19th October 2023

Ticketed

Free Entry

Fragments of Our Time Family Textile Workshop

Sunday 22nd October 2023

Family Activities

Halloween Antics at the Museum!

Wednesday 25th October 2023

Family Activities

Pumpkin Trail

Saturday 28th October 2023 – Sunday 29th October 2023

Family Activities

Halloween special: Curator’s Talk

Saturday 28th October 2023 – Sunday 29th October 2023

Films at The Whitaker

The Fablemans

Thursday 2nd November 2023

Ticketed

Family Activities

Family Antics at the Museum

Saturday 4th November 2023

Family Activities

Cottonshed Theatre Company: Beware of the Doll

Thursday 9th November 2023

Connect with us

Enter your email address to receive our newsletter