KARST, The Levinsky Gallery and MIRROR (Plymouth)

Since 1949, New Contemporaries has presented an annual exhibition of emerging and early career artists from UK art schools and learning programmes. This unique platform provides artists a wider audience to their work, alongside a programme of opportunities to support the development of their practice. Marking 75 years of New Contemporaries, the 2024 exhibition features 35 artists who have been selected through an open call by internationally renowned artists Liz Johnson Artur, Permindar Kaur and Amalia Pica. Launching in Plymouth across three venues, KARST, The Levinsky Gallery and MIRROR, this exhibition marks the first time New Contemporaries has returned to the city in 60 years.

Works are arranged thematically at each venue offering an overview of urgent lived concerns, interests and social realities from this generation of artists. Recurrent themes include mindfulness, consumerism, conviviality, environmentalism, geographical borders, and identity politics. A diverse range of mediums and approaches are featured including painting, sculpture, installation, photography, moving image and sound.

The artists showing at KARST investigate fluctuations and cycles in the natural world, sustainability and decay, and socio-ecological relationships. Other works speculate on apocalyptic futures, the queering of landscapes, and folk traditions.

At MIRROR the artists explore boundaries, borders and fragmented memories. Works suggest the experiences of movement between places or the thresholds and tensions between geographical and imagined spaces. Some of the artists also use familiar tropes from architectures and domestic interiors.

The Levinsky Gallery artists respond to the commodification of mindfulness, self-care, pop culture and consumerism. Other works in this gallery explore conviviality and social gatherings, juxtaposed with those that suggest anxieties or discontent in an increasingly alienating and digitally accelerated world.

The exhibiting artists are: Motunrayo Akinola, Libby Bove, Max Boyla, Molly Burrows, Fergus Carmichael, Mya Cavner and Edith Liben, Karen David, Roo Dhissou, Beverley Duckworth, Georgia Dymock, Tom Fairlamb, Farzaneh Ghadyanloo, Sara Graça, Dageong Han, Siomha Harrington, Anna Howard, Fi Isidore, Asmaa Jama and Gouled Ahmed, Laura Kazaroff, AC Larsen, Sophie Lloyd, Hazel O'Sullivan, Sun Oh, Sara Osman, Saul Pankhurst, Varshga Premarasa, Elliott Roy, Millie Shafiee, Sai Stephenson, Valentino Vannini, Joshua Whitaker, Danilo Zocatelli Cesco, and Yang Zou.

The exhibition will tour to the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London from 15 January - 23 March 2025.

KARST

KARST is an independent contemporary art space in Plymouth, comprising a free public gallery and artists’ studios. KARST creates space for taking risks, where audiences encounter work by artists and curators who experiment, disrupt and innovate through exhibitions, performance and events. 

The Levinsky Gallery

The Levinsky Gallery, at the University of Plymouth, showcases exhibitions from internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent. We support artist development and the creation of new work across all forms. Our arts and cultural programme creates inspirational cultural experiences that celebrate creativity and have the power to transform lives. 

MIRROR

MIRROR is a public gallery, events programme and online resource based out of, and generously supported by Arts University Plymouth, dedicated to supporting the professional development of artists, with a particular focus on enriching the careers of artists based within the South West Region.

MIRROR is committed to taking a long-term, regenerative and proactive approach to developing the arts ecology in the South West, whilst having a national and international perspective.

MEET THE ARTISTS