In the mid-1990s, the 'BritArt' or 'Young British Artists' movement, centring on the work of Damien Hirst, startled the public and artistic community and asserted British influence in the international arts scene. Hard-hitting work continued with Tracey Emin's candid revelations of her inner and everyday life: contemporary British artists use every possible medium of expression, including themselves. New work in video and digital media is celebrated at the Liverpool Biennial and Video Positive, while the National Review of Live Art in Glasgow challenges audiences with new live work by invited performers. The annual Turner Prize, awarded to a British artist under 50, is one of the most prestigious arts prizes in the world and a focus for developments in contemporary art. The Jerwood Prize is the largest award of its kind given to a single artist and has helped to revitalise interest in painting.
Since the heyday of Henry Moore, there has never been a better time for public art in the UK. Rachel Whiteread's monumentalist pieces transform the ordinary. Anthony Gormley's colossal Angel of the North is both the guardian and pride of the north east of England. When Mark Wallinger became the first artist to use the empty plinth in London's Trafalgar Square as a site, his life-sized figure of Christ placed the old against the new, the grand against the humble. These examples can be seen across the UK visual arts scene.
Visit the arts, architecture and design section of British Council's arts siteThe United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
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