Barbara Walker
Being Here
The first major survey exhibition by British artist Barbara Walker (b.1964, Birmingham, UK), charts her compelling figurative practice from 1990s to today.
Being Here presents over 70 extraordinary artworks, including rarely seen paintings, her Turner Prize nominated drawing series Burden of Proof (2022-23), and a newly commissioned printed wallpaper Soft Power (2024).
For over twenty-five years, Walker has been making intensely observed and empathetic figurative work that creates space for Black presence, power and belonging. Ranging from delicate graphite drawings on archival documents to a monumental charcoal wall drawing, Walker tackles wide-ranging themes such as the policing and surveillance of Black life, twentieth-century war histories, immigration and Old Master paintings to challenge conventions of representation and the histories they are rooted in.
The exhibition includes works from across the six major series Walker has made to date; Private Face (1998-2005), Louder Than Words (2006-09), Show and Tell (2008-15), Shock and Awe (2015-20), Vanishing Point (2018-ongoing) and Burden of Proof (2022-23), alongside a new wallpaper, inspired by the Whitworth’s collection, that continues her representation of the Windrush generation.
The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue featuring new essays on Walker’s practice by Mora J. Beauchamp-Byrd, Eddie Chambers, Alice Correia, Leanne Green, Rianna Jade Parker and the exhibition curators Poppy Bowers and Hannah Vollam.
New project:
Barbara Walker Engagement Project – Call Out for Artists and Participants
Discover more about this intergenerational public engagement programme runs alongside the exhibition, drawing inspiration from Barbara Walker’s two series of work, ‘Burden of Proof’ and ‘Louder than Words’.
Find out how to get involved
The Whitworth Shop features products inspired by the exhibition and the exhibition catalogue will be available from 1 October.
The exhibition catalogue is generously supported by Cristea Roberts Gallery, London
The exhibition is organised by the Whitworth and will tour to Arnolfini, Bristol 7 March 2025 – 25 May 2025
Download the press release for Barbara Walker: Being Here
4 October 2024 – 26 January 2025
#BarbaraWalker
#BarbaraWalkerBeingHere
#BeingHere
Image: Barbara Walker, The Sitter, 2002 © Barbara Walker.
All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024.
