'Ground-breaking' art to be displayed in Chester in UK first

Eagle-eyed residents may have spotted the beginnings of 'How to Work Better, 1991' being reproduced on the side of The Forum Building, Exchange Square as part of a major new visual arts event, Chester Contemporary.

The humourously simple 10-point list is the work of artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss.The text was taken from a sign the artists saw in a ceramic factory in Thailand more than 30 years ago which was designed to improve worker morale and productivity.

The pair's genius lies in making the everyday object appear extraordinary, blurring the boundaries between high and low art.

It will be the first time the ground-breaking piece is being shown at full scale in the UK, only ever having been previously shown in Zurich, Mexico City, New York (Guggenheim) and Okayama, Japan.

The white-washed wall on the side of the Forum Building will be transformed into the piece ahead of Chester Contemporary. (Image: Cheshire West and Chester Council)

Chester Contemporary

Chester Contemporary will show the work of international and Chester-based contemporary artists, including emerging artists and a creative programme with communities and schools in the city. The event is curated by Chester-born artist Ryan Gander and will run from September 22 to December 1, 2023.

Chester Contemporary will feature work by the likes of:

John Akomfrah presenting his ground-breaking film 'Mnemosyne', a haunting exploration of myth, memory and migration, at the Grosvenor Museum.

Fiona Banner aka The Vanity Press 'DIS ARM', is a multi-layered installation in Castlefield Gallery New Art Spaces: Chester, a vacant shop unit in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, where helicopter blades, repurposed shop dummies, an authentic decoy fighter plane fill the space.

Simeon Barclay 'Them Over Road', is a new work blending found objects and neon in three locations to explore a city’s potential to transform.

Jacq Bebb is showing two new works for voice and sculpture, both exploring themes of skulking – the act of loitering with intent.

Tim Foxon presents 'Contemporary Interventions', playful happenings across the city.

Ryan Gander has created three new interventions for Chester, including a Chester Contemporary original tattoo, a new Ryan Gander cocktail, the Cestrian Ya-Ya and a new flag for the Contemporary, which will be seen flying over the Lady Diana boat on the River Dee.

Hannah Perry's 'No Tracksuits, No Trainers', is an installation which conjures the industrial sounds and materials of Perry’s youth in Chester.

Elizabeth Price, Turner Prize-winning artist presents 'HORSETAILS', a new spoken word and choral work for Chester Cathedral.

Patricia Mackinnon-Day 'The Start of All Imaginings', is a series of short films that explores the personal journeys of nine Chester market traders. This work is also showing at Time Space Existence, the European Cultural Centre’s architecture biennial in Venice, until 27 November 2023.

An emerging artist programme, also curated by Ryan Gander, and presented in association with Storyhouse will see five artists bring new and distinctive work to the Contemporary: Charlotte van Berckel, Nick Davies, Harry Grundy, William Lang and James Lomax are all at a pivotal point in their careers and will be showing work alongside the core Contemporary’s artistic programme.

A schools’ programme has brought nine artists together with ten primary schools across the city to create work that will be shown as part of the Contemporary and is part of the cultural programme of the Chester High Street Heritage Action Zone (the Rows), funded by Historic England.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: "Chester Contemporary is a walking biennial, with works easily discoverable across the city, where new and unexpected stories collide with Chester’s traditional and established history.

"We are welcoming local, national and international artists including the first display in the UK for ‘How to Work Better, 1991’. We have a Turner prize winning artist, emerging artists and of course this has all been brought together by Chester-born artist Ryan Gander.

"Chester is once more on the international stage this autumn for our first Chester Contemporary."

For the full programme, visit: chestercontemporary.org/.

Chester Contemporary is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Arts Council England and Henry Moore Foundation; and features as part of the cultural programme of the Chester High Street Heritage Action Zone (the Rows), funded by Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.