Bloomberg New Contemporaries Symposium

Established in 1949, Bloomberg New Contemporaries is an important and highly regarded annual initiative that gives art students and recent graduates essential support and recognition at a crucial stage in their development through a high-profile exhibition. While in its history Bloomberg New Contemporaries has travelled the length and breadth of the country.
One of the most prestigious open-exhibitions in the UK, artists are selected by a panel comprised of influential art figures, including curators, writers and artists often who have themselves previously been a part of New Contemporaries. The selectors for 2011 were Pablo Bronstein, Sarah Jones and Michael Raedecker.
This symposium brings together past and present Bloomberg New Contemporaries artists and selectors to discuss the broad themes and concerns coming through this year’s exhibition and their personal practices. Discussions will be chaired by Sheffield-based artist and former New Contemporaries selector Julie Westerman. Speakers include Bloomberg New Contemporaries Chair Sacha Craddock, Sheffield based artists and New Contemporaries almuni Haroon Mirza and Paul Morrison and one of this years exhibiting artists Yelena Popova.
Sacha Craddock is an independent art critic and curator based in London. She studied at St Martins and Chelsea School of Art before going on to write criticism for The Guardian and The Times. She is the curator for Sadlers Wells, co-curator for Bloomberg Space and the Chair of both New Contemporaries and Braziers International Workshop. She co-founded Artschool Palestine and is the public art advisor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Craddock has judged many prizes, including the Turner Prize in 1999. In 2011, Craddock joined Wax Wigram Gallery as Director of Programmes.
Haroon Mirza was born in London, 1977 and is an artist based in Sheffield and London. He studied MA Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art & Design (2007), MA Design: Critical Theory & Practice (2006) and BA (Hons) Painting at Winchester Sch ool of Art (2001). He won the Silver Lion at the 2011 Venice Biennial for most promising young artist, the Northern Art Prize in 2010. Current exhibitions include a solo show I saw square triangle sine, Camden Art Centre, London which will then tour to Spike Island, Bristol and The Hepworth, Wakefield. Upcoming works include a collaborative project with James Richards and Ed Atkins in Times Square for the 11th Performa Biennial in New York.
Paul Morrison was born in Liverpool, 1966, and lives and works in Sheffield and London. He studied at Sheffield City Polytechnic and Goldsmiths College of Art. Recent solo shows include Alison Jacques, London (2011) Las Vegas Art Museum, Las Vegas (2008); Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence (2008); Bloomberg SPACE, London (2007); The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, HI (2006). Recent group exhibitions include Nothing is Forever at South London Gallery, London (201 0); Murals, Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona (2010); Repicturing the Past/Picturing the Present, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, (2007); Eye on Europe: Prints, books and multiples/1960 to now, The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2006).
Yelena Popova is a Russian born artist, now living and working in Nottingham. She has studied at Moscow Art Theatre School and Byam Shaw at Central St Martins before graduating from MA Painting at the Royal College of Art in July 2011. Recent group exhibitions include Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2011, Sheffield & London (2011) and New Sensations, London (2011). Yelena was recently awarded the Red Mansion Prize and residency in China (September 2011).
Julie Westerman is an artist and lecturer based in Sheffield. She studied MA Fine art in Birmingham (1985) and Sculpture at Chelsea School of Art (1984). She is currently a senior lecturer in Fine Art at Sheffield Hallam University. Recent group exhibitions include: Drawing Spaces, LoBe, Berlin (2011); Fifteen, S1 Artspace, Sheffield (2010) and Distance, Galerie 5020, Salzburg (2006). She recently curated a one-day event, Brutalist Speculations and Flights of Fancy at Site Gallery, Sheffield.
Details
Friday 28 October
11.30am – 2.30pm
Venue
The Library Theatre
Surrey Street (entrance between The Lyceum and Graves Art Gallery)
Sheffield
Booking
Adult £3
Student £2
Booking essential.