The depiction of the head or face is one of the most compelling images in our visual language. Heads Roll, a new exhibition curated by artist Paul Morrison, presents a constellation of historical and contemporary perspectives to explore our preconceptions of this most familiar genre.
Dating back to Ancient Egypt, portraiture has a long tradition as a record of status, power and achievement, and a reminder of those gone before. In the age of the selfie, the portrait has become ephemera, gone in the blink of an eye. Featuring a range of contemporary works alongside examples from city’s collections spanning 400 years, Heads Roll re-examines our relationship with portraiture, exploring the subject through ideas of resemblance, abstraction, fiction and authenticity.
Heads Roll features work by over 60 nationally and internationally renowned artists, including Glenn Brown, Jessica Diamond, Gwen John, Klara Kristalova, Michael Craig-Martin, Ben Nicholson, Julian Opie, Rembrandt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Walter Sickert and more.
