Turner: Always Contemporary
Major exhibition will mark 250 years since the birth of JMW Turner
Walker Art Gallery is set to hold a major exhibition exploring the work of JMW Turner and his enduring impact on later generations. Turner: Always Contemporary (25 October 2025 – 22 February 2026) will include National Museums Liverpool's collection of Turner's oil paintings, works on paper and prints, alongside modern and contemporary artworks that delve into themes of travel, landscape and artistic experimentation.
A number of important and influential artworks from major galleries across the UK will feature in the exhibition, ranging from work by Maggi Hambling and Jeff Koons through to paintings by Annie Swynnerton and George Frederick Watts. Prints by British artist Emma Stibbon, recently acquired by National Museums Liverpool, will also be displayed for the first time.
The exhibition will offer a new perspective on Turner and his legacy, highlighting how he grappled with issues that remain relevant today: climate change; immigration; tourism; and the role of the artist. Alongside Turner's works, visitors will encounter pieces by Claude Monet, Bridget Riley, Ethel Walker and many more, bringing together 250 years of art to examine Turner's timeless appeal.
Dr Melissa Gustin, Curator of British Art at National Museums Liverpool, said:
“This is a hugely exciting opportunity to reconsider National Museums Liverpool’s collection of works by Turner. This exhibition will showcase the treasures in our collection and explore how Turner’s work has always been challenging, exciting and contemporary for audiences in Britain and around the world.”
Turner captured the power and changeability of the sea in a remarkable way, and it is perhaps for his immediately recognisable seascapes that he is most renowned. The exhibition charts his changing painting practice, moving from calm coasts in watercolour to raging storms in oil, impacting generations of artists in the process.
For Turner, painting was not just about capturing a picturesque view. He, and the artists inspired or shaped by him, used the world around them to explore the pressing issues of their day, and to push the boundaries of what art could be.
Turner: Always Contemporary will show how his paintings and drawings raise questions about the role of commerce, colonialism and industry that are as relevant today as they were when they were first imagined by the artist. The way people of Turner’s generation engaged with and shaped the lands, rivers and seas still impact us today and can be traced through art.
The exhibition is supported by Lead Partner Quilter Cheviot. Nigel Hibbert, Head of Office at Quilter Cheviot Liverpool, said:
“Liverpool is a city rich in culture and heritage and is not just an important centre for culture in the northwest of England, but also the United Kingdom more broadly. As a business, Quilter Cheviot has a long history of working closely to support organisations in the arts and cultural sector.
“We were delighted when the opportunity to become Lead Partner of the Turner: Always Contemporary exhibition presented itself to mark Turner’s 250th anniversary, plus all he has influenced through to modern day. A great alignment with Quilter Cheviot’s heritage and values.”
To purchase tickets, visit: liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/turner
ENDS
FURTHER INFORMATION
Felicity Robinson
PR and Communications Officer
felicity.robinson@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITOR
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery houses an internationally renowned collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative art. It is one of Europe’s finest galleries, with a collection that ranges from outstanding modern and contemporary works to Medieval and Renaissance masterpieces. Some of the greatest British artists of the last century are represented in the modern and contemporary galleries, from Lucian Freud and David Hockney to Barbara Hepworth and Lubaina Himid, along with its globally renowned Pre-Raphaelite and Impressionist collections.
Renaissance Rediscovered, the gallery’s Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque displays, reopened in Summer 2023 following a major redevelopment programme funded by the Department for Media, Culture and Sport.
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walkerartgallery
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool (NML) comprises seven venues, including some of the most visited museums in England outside of London. Our collections are among the most important and varied in Europe and contain everything from Impressionist paintings and rare beetles to a lifejacket from the Titanic. We attracted more than 2.5 million visitors in 2023.
Our venues are Museum of Liverpool, World Museum, Walker Art Gallery, Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum, Sudley House and Lady Lever Art Gallery. National Museums Liverpool is regulated by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
Quilter Cheviot
Quilter Cheviot is proud to be the Lead Partner of the Turner: Always Contemporary exhibition. As one of the UK’s leading wealth management firms, Quilter Cheviot has been the wealth manager of choice for individuals and families for over 250 years, offering expert discretionary investment management and financial advice through Quilter Cheviot Financial Planning.