British Art Show 10: Artists and Concept Announced

British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers takes place against a backdrop of heightened anxiety intensified by a divisive political culture, an accelerating climate crisis, and growing public distrust in institutions. In polarising times, the exhibition asks: what forms might empathy or shared imagination take?

At its core, A Chorus of Strangers considers how art can challenge fears of otherness and difference often sparked in periods of uncertainty or change. Rather than framing the outsider or stranger figure as a threat, British Art Show 10 invites a shift towards empathy, moving away from rigid distinctions of “us” and “them” to explore the variety of perspectives that comes from looking through the eyes of others.

The exhibition is organised around three overlapping curatorial themes that span the psychological, sociological and ecological. Each theme is inspired by the work of an influential British writer or theorist who has grappled with the tensions between the Individual and the Other. 

Moments of Being

Moments of Being takes its title from Virginia Woolf’s description of the fleeting instances when the surface of ordinary life seems to lift, offering a brief glimpse into the interconnectedness of existence. The artists featured here similarly turn inward as they observe the world around them. Drawing on dreams, memory, and the subconscious, they explore the blurred boundaries between mind and body, reality and imagination. Their works suggest a way of understanding ourselves and the conditions that shape our shared experience.

States of Nature

States of Nature is inspired by ecological philosopher Timothy Morton’s call for a greater awareness of our relationship with the environment: an understanding that all life forms are fundamentally interconnected within a vast, complex network of being. This theme brings together artists whose work embraces the natural world in its abundance, beauty, and complexity. Animals, plants, air and water are highlighted as part of our shared living history, foregrounding ways of coexisting that challenge the human-centric and invite us to imagine a new relationship with the planet.

Brian Cass, Head of Hayward Gallery Touring, says: “The 10th edition of Hayward Gallery Touring’s British Art Show is an invitation to shift perspective and see the world from multiple positions at once. Curated by Ekow Eshun, the exhibition celebrates artists who navigate the complexities of contemporary life with richness, beauty and a profound commitment to human connection. As it travels to five great UK cities, A Chorus of Strangers will illuminate the power of art to transform uncertainty into a shared journey of kinship and possibility. We look forward to seeing how this exhibition evolves and resonates with communities across the nation.”