Part of National Museums Liverpool
Since its opening in 1877 the Walker Art Gallery has collected contemporary art. In recent years this has included art works in ‘new media’, including video and animation art, as well as art installations.
Some of these works use new technology to reflect on contemporary issues such as industrialisation and its impact, including Nancy Davenport’s (born 1965) ‘Workers (Leaving the Factory)’. Others, like Bill Viola (born 1951), have used it to address subjects that have occupied artists for generations, including religion and death.
Both funny and touching, ‘Journey to the Lower World’, a film artwork by the influential contemporary artist Marcus Coates, became part of the Walker Art Gallery’s collections in 2010.
This richly illustrated guide introduces the Gallery, its history and its collections.
Installation art originated in the late 1950s. Yoko Ono was one of the earliest artists to experiment with the format.