Donald Rodney: Visceral Canker
You are invited to explore a major retrospective of the late British artist Donald Rodney (b.1961, UK; d.1998, UK), at 12pm on Wednesday 2nd October. Members of the Nottingham Contemporary team alongside Communities Inc. and My Sight Notts, aim to make this exhibition as accessible as possible.
The exhibition brings together nearly all that survives of Donald’s work across painting, drawing, installation, sculpture and digital media with rare archive materials, the exhibition highlights Rodney’s significance to the recent history of British art. This touring exhibition will highlight the significance of Rodney’s work and re-address themes of racial identity, chronic illness, Black masculinity and Britain’s colonial past.
Donald suffered from sickle cell anaemia throughout his life, which meant persistent pain, regular invasive treatments and increasing immobility. Though these were extremely challenging experiences, he actively explored them in his work, often as a metaphor for the illnesses and injustices of society at large.
Donald studied at Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University) in the early eighties. His work has had a significant influence on the UK artist community, however there have been few opportunities to experience the full breadth and complexity of his work.