Karla Black

12 May-29 Oct 2023

The New Art Gallery Walsall

The New Art Gallery Walsall is thrilled to unveil a significant exhibition featuring previously unrevealed sculptures by the highly regarded Scottish artist, Karla Black. Marking the artist’s most extensive solo exhibition in the UK to date, this showcase provides a rare opportunity to delve into the depth of her work.

Karla Black employs a distinctive palette comprising pastel and metallic hues, carefully selecting materials based on their physical properties. From cotton wool, Vaseline, bath bombs, and make-up to polythene, cellophane, powder paint, and paper, Black seamlessly integrates these elements into her creations. Notably, she makes no distinction between commercial or fine art shops when sourcing materials; both serve as reservoirs for the substances she wishes to incorporate into her pieces.

Working autonomously within the gallery spaces over a two-week period, Black undertook the transformation of raw materials and pre-prepared forms from her studio, resulting in sculptures that hang, hover, rise, assemble, scatter, curve, and spread. While the sculptures were conceived with the specific spaces of the Gallery in mind, their precise form and appearance remained uncertain until the end of the creative process. As described by the artist, the lasting remnants of her time in Walsall are "big strong sculptures that require lots of endurance and large masses of material that challenge the space itself or take it on, in a physical way." This liberated approach, unleashing creativity within the galleries and interacting with materials akin to a curious child, is fundamental to Black’s artistic process, serving as a means of sustaining a meaningful connection to the world.

For the first time, the artist introduces a substantial collection of paint-filled jewellery boxes arranged in a grid formation. This evokes images of the meticulously organised displays found in sweet shops and make-up counters. Gallery-filling sculptures and robe-like objects encapsulate Black’s enduring fascination with Greek philosophy and ancient history, particularly delving into the closed-off environment and politics of Plato’s Academy, the first institution of higher learning in history that virtually excluded women. Experienced collectively, these works inform, influence, and juxtapose each other, engaging the viewer in a corporeal manner.

All artworks are graciously provided by Karla Black, Galerie Gisela Capitain in Cologne, Germany; Modern Art in London, UK; and Galleria Raffaella Cortese in Milan, Italy.

About The New Art Gallery

Dedicated to presenting, collecting, and interpreting historic and contemporary art in innovative and challenging ways, The New Art Gallery Walsall aims to encourage engagement and enjoyment for both current and future audiences. With a commitment to delivering cultural and educational services of the highest quality, the gallery serves as a focal point for civic pride and community identity in Walsall and the surrounding region. Through its artistic programming, collection development, and approaches to access, engagement, and interpretation, the gallery explores new models for contributing to people’s lives. As an art gallery of exceptional merit, it seeks to disseminate its work widely, drawing national and international attention to Walsall and its notable accomplishments.