The Tate will reopen by honouring “one of Britain’s most innovative artists”
The gallery closed for renovation in 2023(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
New details surrounding The Tate’s reopening have been revealed, with the first retrospective to be hosted in the newly-refurbished gallery confirmed. At a reception in Delhi today, the secretary of state for culture, Lisa Nandy, announced that Bootle’s Chila Kumari Singh Burman will reopen the art gallery in 2027 following its transformation.
The artist has a widely recognised, unique visual identity shaped by her working-class childhood in Liverpool. A self-described ‘Punjabi Scouser,’ Chila will be celebrated at the Albert Dock venue with the first retrospective of her career, spanning five decades of her work.
Chila said: “I’m made up to be coming back home to Liverpool with an exhibition that spans my whole career, from the River Mersey to the Land of the Five Rivers in Punjab. It is a real honour to be reopening the gallery and I hope the exhibition inspires a whole new generation of visitors”.
Chila explores her female and British-Indian identity through her work, which spans drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, photography, video, and, more recently, neon installations.
This will be a first for artist Chila Burman(Image: Tate (Joe Humphrys))
Weaving together traditional and popular Indian culture, family memories, self-portraiture and music influences ranging from punk and reggae to Bhangra and Bollywood music, Chila’s politically-charged work has been formed in direct response to her environment.
Tate director, Helen Legg, said: “Chila Kumari Singh Burman was always the artist we wanted to show on reopening, as part of a celebration of the rich culture of the North.
“She is renowned for creating irreverent pop and punk-inspired works in kaleidoscopic colour, infused with glitter and neon, that draw on aspects of Indian and British cultural heritage. Her works are just as striking for their subversive treatment of gender, class and identity.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy added: “The exhibition will honour one of Britain’s most innovative artists and marks an exciting new chapter for Tate Liverpool as it transforms into a modern-day museum at the heart of the city
Tate Liverpool is currently closed for renovation work(Image: Rob Battersby/PA Wire )
“Chila’s vibrant work celebrates the rich diversity of British identity. Her powerful artistic vision, spanning five decades and bringing together influences from her working-class Liverpool roots and Punjabi heritage, has already brightened our cities and lifted spirits during difficult times.
“I am grateful for the support of the Bagri Foundation, enabling artists like Chila to reach a wider audience and I hope their generosity inspires others to follow their philanthropic lead.”
The retrospective is the first exhibition to be announced for the transformed Tate Liverpool, with further exhibitions and displays to be revealed in the coming months.
Tate Liverpool will reopen in 2027, welcoming visitors into a “21st-century museum” with spaces designed to showcase the diversity of Tate’s collection and host world-class exhibitions, as well as establishing a new art hall on the ground floor.
These galleries will sit seamlessly alongside public spaces for play, relaxation and learning, while spectacular views across the Mersey will connect the gallery to its historic context on the region’s waterfront.