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Join us for a free one-day presentation of Al Andalus, an audio-visual installation by Nottingham artists Claude Money and Meg Wall.

Musically, the installation makes a globally influenced offering to the modern school of electronic, instrumental Hip-Hop with large helpings of modern British jazz, traditional Andalusian sounds and Arabic modalities.

Accompanying the music are Lo-Fi stop-frame animations, bringing still, multi-layered artworks to life. The visual inspiration for the work lies in key motifs, colours and iconography from Andalusian history and culture both ancient and modern, concepts inherent to the soul of the music itself.

The rhythms and visual dynamics within the animations were not automated but were responsive to the atmospheres created by the music.

ABOUT CLAUDE MONEY

Claude Money is a music producer based in Nottingham by way of Singapore and Spain. He has worked with a number of artists, including Chaka Khan, Taka Boom, Emily Makis, President T, Windowkid, and Snowy, and has also created bespoke pieces of music for television and film. Outside of music, he is a PhD researcher at Nottingham Trent University working on recovering the hidden histories of Nottingham’s rich Hip-Hop heritage, a critically overlooked area of UK art and culture.

ABOUT MEG WALL

Meg Wall is an academic at Nottingham Trent University where she lectures in visual communication techniques to undergraduate students. As a creative practitioner, she is an illustrator and animator whose art centres around telling human stories.

Join us for a discussion and audio experience with Nottingham rapper Cappo and collaborating sound artist Tom Harris, exploring the ideas and processes behind CAPStone, Cappo’s week-long exhibition at Bonington Gallery between 14 – 21 June.

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For the third event in our Bonington Connects programme, we are delighted to invite Nottingham based rapper Cappo and sound artist Tom Harris to discuss their collaboration and explore the ideas behind Cappo’s solo exhibition CAPStone. The two artists will also lead an improvised sound workshop and experience – utilising spoken word and elements found within the exhibition.

Bonington Connects
Bonington Connects is a student-programmed talks, discussion and workshop series inviting people to engage in thought-provoking conversations in response to Bonington Gallery’s exhibition programme. Aimed at creating an accessible atmosphere, this series encourages exploration of our exhibitions in informal, open and engaging settings. This installment has been programmed and organised by final-year MFA Fine Art student Vidhi Jangra.

We are pleased to acknowledge that funds from NTU TILT have supported this event.

TILT - Trent Institute for Learning and Teaching Logo

Building upon his captivating performance during last year’s launch of After the End of History: British Working Class Photography 1989-2024 (curated by Johny Pitts), we are delighted to welcome back Cappo to present a free weeklong exhibition entitled CAPStone.

This installation will be a physical translation of the concepts and themes found in the critically acclaimed music of this hugely important and influential Nottingham rap artist.

Exploring new possibilities for the alignment of hip hop lyricism with more traditional artistic mediums, CAPStone attempts to reevaluate how music is perceived, contemplated, and represented in contemporary settings by deconstructing the sounds, thoughts, and feelings contained within it.

Developed and curated with the help of sound artist Tom Harris, and based upon two thirds of the CAPStone LP trilogy (submitted as part of Cappo’s recent doctorate in English, Creative Writing, and rap music), themes of isolation and sociality (in abstracted forms) serve as backdrops for the piece, manifesting as two core experiences:

S.T.A.R.V.E. invites participants to experience isolation amongst the multitudes as part of an age-old narrative inherited by myriad artists, musicians, poets and authors to highlight the potential of loneliness as catalyst for mental health decline.

Houses speaks to an understanding of human existence as being profoundly social. Here, through visual, performative, and communicative means, the innate drive within us to remain part of a collective is uniquely interrogated.

The contrast between solitude and sociality — or separation and inclusion — has long been a subject of artistic investigation. Carrying this tradition forward using modern methods of expression, CAPStone intertextually engages with multiple artistic movements and eras to help revise these fundamental elements of the human condition.

Join multidisciplinary artist and illustrator Arianna Tinulla Milesi for this free, two-day workshop in response to our current Bonington Vitrines exhibition Nottingham Subcultural Fashion in the 1980s.

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We’re delighted to welcome Arianna, who is currently in residence at NTU on the AA2A programme, to run this public workshop. Through her ongoing project This room has no walls anymore, just endless trees Arianna creates shared spaces through the act of drawing – making opportunity for discussion and the sharing of knowledge, storytelling, materials and skills.

Responding to themes in our Vitrines exhibition, Arianna will explore relationships between fashion, devotional and ritual orientated contexts. You don’t need to have skills in sewing or making and we’ll provide all the materials – though you are invited to bring along an item of clothing to work with on day two if you’d like to.

About the artist: Arianna Tinulla Milesi

Arianna Tinulla Milesi is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator based in the UK. Drawing is the core of her work, not only as a practice but also as a cognitive tool to understand reality and create. Coping mechanisms, devotional art, seaweeds, the formation of memories and syncretism are pivotal points in her research, which is open and interactive.

Arianna is a member of the Council of the Society of Graphic Fine Art (SGFA). She collaborates with art institutions all over the world and is devoting an increasing amount of time to the organisation of workshops oriented to nature, to make wearable art, to convey human connections and mental health.

Bonington Connects

Bonington Connects is a series of talks, discussions and workshops planned by Nottingham Trent University students, inviting people to engage in thought-provoking conversations in response to the Gallery’s exhibition programme. It aims to create an accessible atmosphere, encouraging exploration of the exhibitions in an informal, open and engaging setting. This workshop has been planned and organised by final-year MFA Fine Art student, Vidhi Jangra.

We are pleased to acknowledge that funds from NTU TILT have supported this event.

Join Weird Hope Engines co-curator, Jamie Sutcliffe, for a free guided tour of Bonington Gallery’s latest exhibition.

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In this guided tour, writer and Weird Hope Engines co-curator Jamie Sutcliffe will discuss the themes of the exhibition while exploring tabletop roleplaying games as potent tools for imagining radically different possibilities. From the transformation of the self to the evolution of social organization, this tour will introduce the artists behind each work in the show and explain how their various approaches to game design might position play as a unique form of speculation.

This event will last up to an hour. Please meet inside Bonington Building in the foyer space outside the Gallery doors at 12.55 pm. Free and open to all, booking required.

A picture of Jamie Sutcliffe from the chest up, stood outside in front of a blossom tree, wearing a dark t-shirt, blue demin jacket and dark coat.

Image: Jamie Sutcliffe by Robin Christian

In our latest archive display we take a closer look at Descendants of the Dragon, 1991. This exhibition highlighted the Chinese community within Britain, looking at the importance of the dragon within celebrations. The exhibition showed many sculptural/puppet works which were related to the dragon and other animals that are present in ritual celebrations in Chinese-British culture.

Descendants of the Dragon showcased Chinese artists based in the East Midlands, as well as works from China. The majority of the space was filled with sculptural works that were used in ritual and festival settings featuring a large dragons head at its centre, and a long boat to the side. The ceiling of the gallery was covered with kites of different animals, including cranes, eagles, owls, and butterflies.

Curated by Alex Jovčić-Sas, the Archive cabinet contains photographs from the original exhibition, alongside condition drawings/reports for the main piece which sat in the centre of the gallery. There are also some of the original captions which have been written in mandarin and translated into English.

This exhibition has recently been researched by Dr Vivien Chen who was looking into diasporic East Asian artists in the East Midlands.

This event will be live-streamed on YouTube, Wednesday 16th April, 7-8.30pm, you can RSVP here.

Join us for a free online conversation event between multidisciplinary artist Aziza Kadyri, and Francesca Stocco, PhD researcher of textile art at Nottingham Trent University.

The talk will explore Aziza’s contemporary art practice, which blends the Central Asian tradition of suzani embroidery with AI technology. Combining physical stitching with digital tools, she reformulates suzani motifs and infuses them with personal and current socio-political narratives. 

Together, the speakers will discuss the evolving meaning of textile craft in Aziza’s practice and in the context of Uzbekistan’s ongoing cultural transformation. Aziza has represented Uzbekistan at the 2024 Venice Art Biennial, along with the Qizlar collective and suzani master Madina Kasimbaeva. Set within a deconstructed theatre backstage, the exhibition explored migration, identity, and belonging through the lived experiences of Central Asian women. Through her collective and multi-media practice, Aziza challenges the Euro-centric division between craft and the fine arts, while also questioning the notion of single authorship in artistic production.

This event is part of Formations, Bonington Gallery’s ongoing events programme that is delivered in partnership with the Postcolonial and Global Studies Research Group.

To watch the live stream via YouTube, click here

About the speakers

Join us for a free guided tour of Bonington Gallery’s latest exhibition with BSL interpretation.

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Book your free place and enjoy a tour of Bonington Gallery’s third exhibition of the season, Weird Hope Engines curated by David BlandyRebecca Edwards and Jamie Sutcliffe, led by the Gallery’s Director Tom Godfrey.

Along with an introduction to the exhibition, Tom will talk through the accompanying Vitrines exhibition Nottingham Subcultural Fashion in the 1980s.

This event will last up to an hour. Please meet inside Bonington Building in the foyer space outside the Gallery doors at 12.55 pm. Free and open to all, booking required.

Organised by Neeraj Bunkar, a PhD student in the School of Arts and Humanities at Nottingham Trent University, The Dalit and Adivasi Film Festival (DAFF) 2025 is a platform to showcase dynamic and transformative works in visual culture created by Dalit and Adivasi filmmakers. These communities have a significant tradition of storytelling, yet their voices are often marginalised or overlooked in mainstream film circuits. DAFF seeks to amplify their narratives, perspectives, and creative expressions by bringing their work to a broader audience.

More than just a celebration of cinema, DAFF 2025 aims to foster critical engagement and dialogue. The festival will present a curated selection of twelve films, including documentaries, short films, and docu-fictions, all crafted by Dalit and Adivasi filmmakers. Each screening will be followed by interactive discussions with the filmmakers, providing an opportunity for audiences to engage with the socio-political realities explored in their work.

We dedicate DAFF 2025 to the memory of P. K. Rosy, the first actress of Malayalam cinema and a pioneering figure in the industry.

The festival will feature five sessions, commencing with the acclaimed film Swapnaayanam, directed by K.O. Akhil, the signature film of the 2024 International Film Festival of Kerala. This not only pays tribute to P. K. Rosy as a trailblazer in Malayalam cinema but also highlights the historical contributions of the working class in shaping the cinematic landscape.

Join us in celebrating cinema that amplifies marginalized voices and honours the enduring legacies of Dalit and Adivasi communities.

All screenings and discussions are online and can be accessed via the links below.


Oneric Odyssey, Udmashan, Ranjis, & Project Heartland, Friday 28 February, 3 pm GMT, 8.30 pm IST

The Waterfall & Sasandiri, Friday 28 March, 3 pm GMT, 8.30 pm IST

Vyadhi & Break the Silence, Tuesday 1 April, 3 pm BST, 7.30 pm IST

Red Brick Battleground Friday 4 April, 3 pm BST, 7.30 pm IST


Babasheb in Bengaluru, Keri Haadu/Song of Ghetto, & NON-AC Tuesday 8 April, 3 pm BST, 7.30 pm IST

Book your free ticket and join us at Bonington Gallery for the Critical Hits Zine Fair.

Marking the launch of our next exhibition Weird Hope Engines (22 March – 10 May) this event celebrates DIY publishing and tabletop gaming with vendors from Nottingham and around the UK including Melsonian Arts CouncilCopy/Paste Co-opWarp MiniaturesRamshackle Games and others. Critical Hits Zine Fair brings together independent publishers, artists, and writers exploring themes of critical worlding, resistance, and alternative futures.

Alongside a diverse range of zines and collectables to purchase, the Fair also features a programme of talks and conversations with artists from the exhibition including Zedeck Siew and Angela Washko, and panel discussions on fantasy illustration, game design and miniature fabrication with Andrew WalterAmanda Lee FranckScrap World, and Alex Huntley.

Critical Hits Zine Fair also features gaming sessions with David Blandy, Angela Washko and Andrew Walter, as well as a film screening programme delving further into the narratives, aesthetics, and communities that shape these immersive worlds, including the documentaries World of Darkness (2017) and Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons (2019).

Event programme:

Talks:

12:00 – 12:45
Drawing Down The Moon: The Art of TTRPG Illustration 
Amanda Lee Franck and Scrap Princess 
Chaired by Andrew Walter 

13:00 – 13:45
Warped Worlds and Ramshackle Realms: Worlds In Miniature
Curtis Fell (Ramshackle Games) and Alex Huntley (Warp Miniatures) 
Chaired by Chris MacDowell 

14:00 – 14:45
Art Can Never Be Games!: What Is An Art Game? 
Tom Kemp and Angela Washko 
Chaired by Jamie Sutcliffe and Rebecca Edwards

15:00 – 15:45
Games Design For Planetary Survival
Chris Bissette, Laurie O’Connell and Zedeck Siew  
Chaired by David Blandy

Game play sessions:

11.30am: David Blandy, Eco Mofos
2pm: Andrew Walter, Swyvers 
3.30pm: Angela Washko, The Council is in Session