Exhibitions
Kindred Foyer Exhibition
Does art suggest the subject, or the subject suggest the art? How does who we are affect what we create?
Cable uses a process of intuitive representation to draw out forms from his mind, interrogating and questioning them as they take shape; finding dream-like echoes of the archetypes of human and animal kin that occupy within him.
Summer Show
BMI SUMMER SHOW
18 August to 27 September 2025
Call for Paintings
BMI members, Members of the Association of Midland Artists (AMA) and Artists who have shown work at the Birmingham & Midland Institute during the last two years are invited to submit Paintings to be exhibited in this year’s BMI Summer Show. The Exhibition will take place in the BMI’s Reception Foyer and in the Sir William Blake Richmond Gallery.
This year’s BMI Summer Show will focus exclusively on Painting. Each of the selected paintings must be able to directly communicate to its audience without recourse to text support or to other props so often deployed in our image society and media-orientated culture.
Notes for Entrants
1. Each entrant can submit up to three pictures.
2. Pictures must be delivered to the Birmingham & Midland Institute during the week beginning Monday 21 July. Paintings can be delivered to the BMI between Monday 21 July and Friday 25 July, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm, with all works clearly labelled with the Artist’s name, contact details and the Picture Title.
3. Paintings may be executed in Oil/Acrylic/Watercolour/Gouache/Mixed Media on Canvas/Board/Paper.
4. Each picture can be no larger than a maximum size of 36” x 48”.
5. Watercolours and other works on paper must be framed.
6. All pictures must have picture hooks in place with nylon cord attached so that the picture can be hung using a gallery rod picture system.
7. All pictures must be delivered wrapped in protective wrapping (ideally transparent Bubblewrap).
8. All pictures should be delivered with three standard white Address labels with the picture’s Title and the Artist’s name printed in black ink on the label in Ariel Font 14 Bold;
One label must be attached to the back of the picture/frame with the Artist’s contact details also included on this label only.
Two further labels must be enclosed in a small envelope, attached to the back of the picture with the Picture’s title, and Artist’s name below. If the picture is intended for sale, the price of the picture should also be shown on these two labels.
9. Please note that any picture sold during the Summer Show will result in 20% of the sale price being paid to the BMI.
10. The selection of pictures to be exhibited will be made by the Exhibition Committee during the week beginning Monday 28 July. Entrants will be informed whether or not their work is to be shown by Friday, 1 August.
11. Picture Hanging will take place during the week beginning Monday, 4 August.
12. The Summer Show Opens at 9.00 am Monday 18 August.
13. A Private View will take place Thursday 21 August, 5.00-8.00 pm in the Sir William Blake Richmond Gallery. All exhibiting artists will be invited to attend.
14. The Summer Show Closes at 5.00 pm on Saturday, 27 September.
15. Collection of Paintings: All Paintings must be collected between Monday 29 September to Friday 3 October between 9.00 pm to 4.00 pm.
Birmingham & Midland Institute Exhibitions Committee
17 April 2025
Stephen Nicol Exhibition
Steve is an artist and traveller who has lived, worked in several countries for 40 years. These include the UK, USA, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Thailand, South Korea, Nepal, Cambodia and the Sudan.
The paintings on show here are oil paintings representing those countries like a travelogue.
Current Practice, Foyer Exhibition
Suminder Virk : current practice
Much of my current work has developed during and since my recent yearlong residency in Chandigarh, North India.
Working predominantly in Indian ink and oil paint, inspiration for my new work came from the brutalist architecture of my family home town of Chandigarh and from the observation of environmental practices in the rural areas e.g. stubble burning by farmers which is an ongoing concern for Indian authorities and environmental activists.
Victorian Buildings Foyer Exhibition
This exhibition consists of a number of works which are part of a larger body of work in which Barbara, who is a member of the Victorian Society, has focused on depicting Victorian buildings in Birmingham. all of the buildings are of architectural significance and are often viewed from unusual angles with bright colours and with an emphasis on contrasts of light and shade.
Picture Show
This exhibition concentrates on the power of recollection, combats the dead tissue of nostalgia, and argues that the future is open - if it can be seen for what it is.
Linked
A BCU School of Art exhibition . Curated by Victoria Duffield-Harding, Evelynn Wenman & Tammy Woodrow.
Brendan Handley Exhibition
Brendan’s paintings are a stunning exploration of non-representational abstraction; some conveying a sense of vibrancy, depth and intensity, while others elicit a calmer, more contemplative response. His expressive use of colours and textures evoke different emotions, moods and memories, personal to each viewer.
Unseen
Sarah’s work explores the theme of ‘the invisibility of the older person’, recognising the importance of the beauty of ageing, in order to gain new perspective and appreciation of the elder body.
VICTORIAN BIRMINGHAM: Through the eyes of Barbara Shackley
Barbara has been involved in The Victorian Society since the 1970s and has been an avid painter for many years. This exhibition showcases Barbara's work on the subject of Victorian buildings in Birmingham. Many of the works are for sale and all proceeds will be donated to the West Midlands branch of The Victorian Society.
Members Summer Exhibition
This exhibition brings together the work of five local artists working in different styles and genres. The artists exhibiting are
G lyn Pitchford,
Maxwell White,
Barbara Shackley,
Brenden Handley,
Samina Ansari.
Children of the Railway: The Partition of India 75 years on
Funded by Aston University and DESIblitz, the UK’s leading British Asian web magazine, this exhibition marks the 75th anniversary of the Partition of India.
The exhibition tells the story of Partition from the perspective of the people involved in it. It traces the pain Partition has caused over multiple generations, while also showing how people have found ways to live with and overcome the divisions of the past.
Grandbabs
Grandbabs is a volunteer led collaborative project between young and senior citizens of Birmingham.
The exhibit features over twenty original portraits of senior citizens as well as short documentaries taken from visits to local care homes and discussions with elderly members of our city. The opening night will be attended by the senior citizens seeing their portraits for the very first time.
This is the first exhibit at the re-opening of the Sir William Blake Richmond Gallery at the Birmingham & Midland Institute and is a collaboration of young and old Bab’s from across our city. The night will be sponsored by Birmingham Brewery Company and is supported by The Birmingham & Midland Institute, The Birmingham Civic Society, Lawyers Arts Club, VIP Graffiti and directed by Art From A&K.
