Gallery exhibitions put Leeds in the frame

A pioneering artist-filmmaker who attended Lawnswood School in Leeds, Stuart Croft (1970-2015) will be the focus of Eternal Return, the first exhibition of his work since an untimely death in 2015.

Croft, renowned for subverting genre conventions and expectations in playful and thought-provoking ways, exhibited in New York, Beijing and Venice during his lifetime.

Imaginatively blurring the boundaries between art and cinema, his influences include the spectrum of film history - from art films to classic Hollywood movies.

Visitors to the immersive exhibition will be invited to journey through a sequence of four spaces, each containing an infinitely looping film, with no distinct beginning, middle or end.

Alongside Croft’s major works, the exhibition features the world premiere of Remetior, the last of the artist’s films that was finished posthumously by his friends and collaborators.

Eternal Return is produced in partnership with the Stuart Croft Foundation. Leeds International Film Festival 2024 will also be spotlighting Stuart Croft as part of this year’s festival, presenting a season of films that inspired the artist’s unique vision paired with his own looping moving image works.

Jane Bhoyroo, principal keeper at Leeds Art Gallery, said: “We are thrilled to present Stuart Croft’s films in his home city. We have dramatically transformed the galleries to present his highly original work in this major exhibition. Stuart was an extraordinarily talented artist-filmmaker and we look forward to presenting four of his imaginative films which collapse the boundaries between art and cinema exploring themes of power, entrapment and desire.”

The Stuart Croft Foundation said: “When Stuart Croft died in 2015, his family very generously supported the establishment of the Foundation, with the aim of securing a legacy for such a unique and accomplished artist filmmaker. We are thrilled to be working with Leeds Art Gallery and Leeds International Film Festival, and grateful for the care and consideration they’ve taken. We are proud to have helped them in bringing Stuart home to Leeds.”

Opening alongside Eternal Return is an exhibition of new work by Curtis Holder, a cumulation of his time as Artist-In-Residence at Leeds Art Gallery.

Primarily using graphite and coloured pencil to create dynamic works on paper, London-based Holder is perhaps best known for winning Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2020.

The show presents eight large-scale portraits of inspiring individuals who each have strong and deep-rooted connection to Leeds. Through intimate conversations with the sitters, Holder has created a new body of work to reflect their stories.

His works will be displayed alongside pieces from Leeds Art Gallery’s collection that intrigued or evoked emotion within each sitter.

Curtis Holder was appointed Artist-In-Residence at Leeds Art Gallery as part of 20/20 – a large-scale commissioning initiative led by University of the Arts London Decolonising Arts Institute, which aims to address racial injustices.

Jane Bhoyroo said: “This exhibition by Curtis Holder continues our commitment to presenting works by Global Majority artists and we are delighted to be one of the galleries who are part of the national 20/20 commissioning programme. It has been wonderful to work with Curtis and deepen relationships with people from our local community and develop a richer understanding of our collection.”

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said:  “The remarkable collection at Leeds Art Gallery contains some incredible examples of work by internationally renowned artists.

“It’s always inspiring to see artworks and artists which have such a strong connection to Leeds taking centre stage at the Gallery, and showcasing the richness and diversity of the city’s artistic heritage and its communities.”

Stuart Croft: Eternal Return and Silent Echoes, Spoken Truths: Curtis Holder both open on Friday 8 November at Leeds Art Gallery, and are free to visit. Find out more at: https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/leeds-art-gallery

ENDS