In Plain Sight

20 October 2022 – 12 February 2023

Past

Free
Exhibition

Photograph of two people exploring an exhibition. They are stood side by side at a display case which contains pairs of spectacles. Outside of the case are two pairs of spectacles which the visitors are able to touch and explore with their hands. The rest of the gallery behind them is dark blue, except for a spotlit colourful framed photograph on the wall showing an individual in a bright red dress wearing white rimmed sun glasses with a large domed metal object on their lap.

Ambitious, lucid, accessible, informative, substantial and totally free. Plainly: a must-see. ★★★★
Time Out

‘In Plain Sight’ explores the different ways we see and are seen by others. It questions the central place that sight holds in human society through the different experiences of sighted, partially sighted and blind people.

‘In Plain Sight’ unfolds across four themes: symbolism of the eye, bias in visual perception, eyewear and identity, and the interconnection between senses. It examines the tools that shape how we view the world through historical and contemporary artworks and objects, including examples of eyewear from the 1600s to the present day, and scientific and medical items investigating visual perception.

The exhibition brings together new commissions from artists Emilie Gossiaux, Nina Manandhar and Alexandra Zsigmond, as well works by Jo Bannon, Hassan Hajaj, Carmen Papalia, Jon Rafman, Seana Gavin and Phillip Warnell. It also presents the collaborative practice, Keiken (Hana Omori, Isabel Ramos and Tanya Cruz) and another collaboration by Georgina Kleege, Fayen d’Evie, Katy West, convened by Whitney Mashburn and Carmen Papalia.

The visual sense has long dominated and conditioned our language, value systems and institutions. ‘In Plain Sight’ asks what happens when we open ourselves up to seeing in different ways.

The exhibition is curated by Laurie Britton Newell and Ligaya Salazar.

We're providing a series of 'Lights Up' sessions during the exhibition, where you'll be able to explore ‘In Plain Sight’ in brighter and more even lighting conditions across the gallery. Each bookable session (see below) includes a short audio-described tour of the exhibition.

Exhibition highlights

Photograph of an object installation in a gallery setting, spotlit against a dark blue wall. The large object is made out of small copper tiles which have hieroglyphics stamped in relief into their surface. The tiles as a whole create a tall straight form rising up the wall which ends with two wing like shapes either side. Either side of the object are information panels and a small framed print. — 1 of 7
This sculpture of an armoured robe by Alexandra Zsigmond is made from more than 400 copper plaques. Each plaque is decorated with an eye, and in each pupil lies a representation of a pathogen — the microorganisms which cause infectious disease. The robe intends to protect wearers against the gaze of other people’s envy. If you're visiting the exhibition, you'll be able to step up and touch this object.

Photograph of blue fabric base to an exhibition display case. On the base are 5 numbered discs each with a diagrammatical drawing in oranges, whites and thin squiggly red lines. Next to them is the open box in which they were stored. The lid has a typed sheet of paper which describes the content of each disc. — 2 of 7
This tool from the early 20th century was designed to teach users how to inspect the area at the back of the eye, known as the retina. The painted cards to the left show a variety of different retinal conditions, which could be more closely examined through the lens.

Photograph of 3 framed artworks on a cream coloured gallery wall. Each frame is black edged and contains a hand draw artistic work made up of simple blue and/or red stokes. The work on the left shows a pair of eyes with red crosses through the centre of each pupil. The middle work shows a pair of eyes with eye lashes, where the pupils are crosseyed and there are several parallel lines above each eye. And the work on the right shows la simple face with large circular eyes. — 3 of 7
Eyes are a recurring theme among the thousands of paintings created by Mary Bishop during her 30-year stay at Netherne Asylum in Surrey, now Netherne Hospital. Her descriptive titles often relate to emotions such as fear and guilt as expressed by the eyes in these three works.

Photograph of a framed artwork on a blue gallery wall. The wooden frame contains a row of ten colour rectangular swatches ranging in hues including red, blue, purple, pink and black. Above each of these swatches is a sheet of paper with the same colour sketched out roughly by hand. Each is accompanied by some handwritten text. — 4 of 7
Emilie Gossiaux has relied on her memories of colour to create artwork ever since she became blind in 2010. Each of these pages from her colour journal features a different Crayola crayon, which she has renamed to associate it with a particular memory, for example: “Mum’s Lipstick, Brick Red and Fuzzy Wuzzy”.

Photograph of an individual exploring an exhibition. They are stood facing a gallery wall. In front of the wall a rectangular bronze eye test chart with the standard arrangement of letters is hanging, secured by 4 wires. The individual has their hand raised as if they are about to tap the bronze chart with their finger. — 5 of 7
'Once I Saw it All' is a bronze cast of a standard eye test chart that is also meant to be touched, after which sonorous vibrations ring out around the room. The artist, Aaron McPeake, became legally blind in 2002. This playful sight test invites you to consider how we combine our senses to make sense of the world.

Photograph of two people exploring an exhibition. They are stood facing each other over a tabletop. On the table are a selection of object which they are arranging under a camera. Behind them on the gallery wall there are two square projections. On the left is the camera image of the objects they have arranged, a watch, cables against an orange background. On the right is a computer generated interpretation of their arrangement, abstract white shapes on a blue background. — 6 of 7
This interactive installation uses learning algorithms (artificial neural networks), to explore how we see and make sense of the world. You are invited to move objects around on a table and see corresponding scenery emerging on the display, as reinterpreted by the algorithms. Every 30 seconds the scenes, which are based on the natural elements of water, air, earth, fire and the cosmos, change.

Photograph of a pair of red rimmed spectacles with the arms open, secured to a grey fabric display case base. The rims are transparent but covered in a web of red lines which criss-cross the frames. — 7 of 7
Iris Apfel is an American interior designer and fashion icon. First launched in 2021 to celebrate Apfel’s 100th birthday, this collaboration with glasses manufacturer Zenni celebrates her signature style with a range of oversized colourful glasses.

Exhibition guide

A digital exhibition guide, with audio description, British Sign Language and captions and transcripts is available to use on your own phone or device. You can access the guide using QR codes in the gallery, and there is a tactile line on the gallery floor to guide you between stops.

This visual story (PDF 2400kb) contains information to help you plan and prepare for your visit.

In Plain Sight

Exhibition highlights

Exhibition guide

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