This exhibition, selected by Magdalena Kardasz, Curator at Zacheta, Warsaw, presented the work of middle and younger generation artists living and working in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Selected over a series of visits to the UK, the exhibition does not aim to be comprehensive but to provide an overview of artists whose work explores the external and internal world in a contemplative or ironic manner. The expression ‘happy outsiders’ employed for the title of the exhibition has been adopted from Tony Godfrey’s essay from The British Art Show 5 catalogue in which he described the generation of artists formed during the 70s/80s as ‘happy in their marginality and who used their position to research and comment both on their worlds and their lives’. For the majority of Scottish artists in the show, the title has a double meaning – referring to the strength of the Scottish art scene over the last decade which has allowed them to develop their own career trajectory independently of London.

Some of the invited artists will develop projects specifically for the large classical spaces of the Zacheta Gallery in Warsaw, whilst others will present already existing work.

Artists selected include Ross Sinclair, Oladele Bamboye, Lucy McKenzie, Sarah Tripp, Cathy Wilkes, Martin Boyce, Simon Starling, Liam Gillick, Mary Redmont, Toby Patterson.

Collection Artist(s)

Glossary

  • Curator

    A person who creates exhibitions or who is employed to look after and research museum objects.