Richard Bartle: Nomadic Tales

When artist Richard Bartle discovered the drawings of Siyah Kalem, or Black Pen, 15 years ago, it began an enduring fascination. He became captivated by these 14th century images which had traversed the borders of Iran, Turkey, China and Mongolia.
The drawings, depicting demons, nomadic lifestyles and ancient cultures, inspired Bartle to spend long periods living and working in Istanbul. In this exhibition, Bartle, like many storytellers before him, explores the power of myth to span cultural boundaries, reframing the images through the visual symbolism he observed in the contemporary city.


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Jan 07 2021
Museums by Mail
Throughout the pandemic we’ve been working hard to bring our collections, exhibitions and events to you online. However, we know not everyone can access digital content, so we're very pleased to have created a project to enable us to reach a wider audience during this often isolating time.
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New lease of life for Graves Gallery thanks to Ampersand Foundation funding
We’re really delighted to announce a new programme of refurbishment and redisplay for the Graves Gallery, which has been made possible through a generous five-year funding grant from the Ampersand Foundation.