Exploring the three very different exhibitions at Nottingham Contemporary

The Nottingham Contemporary art gallery is a staple of the city’s cultural landscape. The building itself is an elegant piece of architecture, and inside plays host to a range of thought-provoking exhibitions and events throughout the year.

I was delighted to be invited to experience the current offering of art work, and have a meal and a drink in their cafe  - I’m a sucker for a sculpture and a snack!

Denzil Forrester’s ‘Itchin and Scratchin’ is about as chaotic and bizarre as the name suggests. Forrester’s work captures the vibrancy and rhythm of the explosive dub-reggae scene in East London in the 60’s and 70’s. Distorted faces, electric colours and erratic brush strokes reflect Forrester’s attempts to capture the sound and energy of the music. The simplicity of the presentation of his work allows the richness and scale of his pieces to stand out.

The gallery offered an area for visitors to try and emulate his work in their own style and pin them on a board. While my own attempts were not exhibition standard (nor fit for any sort of display in a public place!), it was lovely seeing children and adults alike engaging in the art.

‘In Cold Print’ by Sung Tieu is a very different experience, with the space emanating a haunting, industrial chill and perfectly setting the mood for the topic of Tien’s work. She seeks to explore the use of sound in warfare, so be prepared to experience some uncomfortable noise. There is particular focus on an incident of mysterious headaches and sickness experienced at the US embassy in Cuba, thought to be the result of sound warfare (although this hasn’t been proven). The combination of history, politics, visual art and sounds both stimulated and surprised me. This is perfect for those who would usually only attend galleries reluctantly (or not at all!).

Finally, we were treated to the first European museum presentation of the work of Diane Simpson, a Chicago-based sculptor. The exhibition is a deep-dive into Simpson’s artistic journey, with both a display of early prints and collages and the sophisticated, handcrafted sculptures she is best known for.

After an enjoyable peruse through the wide selection of books and gifts the shop has to offer, we headed off to devour our well-earned lunch. The cafe is a bright and airy space, in keeping with the style of the gallery, and decorated with plants, fairy lights, quirky shelving and wooden floors.

In an effort to appear more interesting than I am, I ordered a white hot chocolate from their wide selection of drinks, and a smoked salmon sandwich. When it arrived, I couldn’t help but take a photo - the presentation was insta-worthy! The hot chocolate was sweet, creamy and luxurious - it felt like a naughty treat from an expensive chocolatier rather than an offering by an art gallery. And my food didn’t disappoint either. It was freshly prepared, delicious and filling. I’m already preparing a return to Nottingham Contemporary to try another couple of items from the menu - it felt like the kind of place you could sit by yourself with a good book and a coffee and not get weird looks!

Overall, this experience was a lovely surprise. The assistants and the resources provided meant even art simpletons like me could appreciate the exhibits. While I knew the gallery had a reputation for displaying interesting and varied art collections, I didn’t expect the gift shop and cafe to be as well thought-out and enjoyable as they were. This is a great day out for curious kids wanting to see something new… and curious adults alike!

This blog was written by Lauren Pinkney, guest writer for Visit Nottinghamshire.