Biography
Built as an army barracks in the late 19th-century, Portsmouth's collection has an extensive range of works that depict the local landscape in a variety of media. The contemporary collection includes works from British artists between 1960 to 1985, with an emphasis of prints, including a set of screenprints by Canadian-born minimalist artist Agnes Martin (1912-2004), On a Clear Day, 1973. The Contemporary Art Society also presented some notable pieces of sculpture by Anthony Caro, Rory McEwen, Bryan Illsley, John Wragg and Felicity Aylieff.
The craft collection houses work by early 20th and 21st-century studio potters alongside a selection of furniture, glass and ceramics by designers active from the 1960s to the present. The display of the collection rotates regularly with different pieces of modern and contemporary fine and decorative art on show throughout the year. The museum has an excellent temporary exhibition programme.
