UNDERSEA

Art and life beneath the waves

Exploring the mysteries, myths and marine life that lurk under the waves, Undersea will bring together paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture from across different cultures and artistic movements.

Alongside historical works by artists such as Edwardian illustrator Arthur Rackham, 19th century Japanese printmaker Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and German Expressionist master Oskar Kokoschka, visitors will find a rich variety of contemporary work. Stand-out paintings include the mysterious Deep Dive by Tom Anholt and Octopus Veil by Michael Armitage. A completely different view of the sea and its denizens is offered by a group of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander artists.

One group of works will explore artists’ depictions the marine environment and the creatures that inhabit it. Another will explore the mythological and the imaginary, with an international group of works depicting mermaids. This includes the celebrated surrealist painting A Siren in Full Moonlight by Paul Delvaux (Southampton Art Gallery) and the startlingly inventive Mermaids series by contemporary Swiss painter Klodin Erb.

At a time of increasing division between and within nations, Undersea will celebrate cultural connections and the pleasures of difference.

Undersea follows Seaside Modern (2021) and Seafaring (2022) in a trilogy of exhibitions curated by art historian James Russell.

Image: Tom Anholt, Deep Dive, 2022. Courtesy Josh Lilley, London. © Tom Anholt and Josh Lilley. Photo credit: Gunter Lepkowski.