"It is a real honour to be reopening the gallery"
Chila Kumari Singh Burman will enjoy the first-ever retrospective exhibition of her career at Tate Liverpool.
The gallery reopens in 2027 after major redevelopment. Burman’s exhibition will be the first to be staged there.
She said she was thrilled to return to her hometown: “I’m made up to be coming back home to Liverpool with an exhibition that spans my whole career, from the River Mersey to the Land of the Five Rivers in Punjab.
“It is a real honour to be reopening the gallery and I hope the exhibition inspires a whole new generation of visitors.”
The announcement was made by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy during a trip to Delhi.
Nandy said: “The exhibition will honour one of Britain’s most innovative artists and marks an exciting new chapter for Tate Liverpool as it transforms into a modern-day museum at the heart of the city.”
Burman, who grew up in Bootle, calls herself a ‘Punjabi Scouser’.
Her work is widely recognised for its bold colour, social commentary and celebration of identity.
Helen Legg, director of Tate Liverpool, said Chila “was always the artist we wanted to show on reopening”, adding that she’s “renowned for creating irreverent pop and punk-inspired works in kaleidoscopic colour”.
Though the full list of works hasn’t yet been confirmed, it’s expected that her 2020 installation, Remembering a Brave New World, will feature.
“The technicolour display transformed the façade of Tate Britain during the pandemic.
“It drew huge public attention while indoor venues remained shut.”
Chila Kumari Singh Burman’s art blends family memories, feminist themes and cultural symbolism.
Her portfolio spans painting, printmaking, video and collage. But her neon installations in recent years have helped attract a wider audience.
She weaves influences from Bhangra, Bollywood, punk and reggae into her practice. The result is art that reflects both her working-class roots and British-Indian heritage.
The retrospective will cover five decades of her work and will be supported by the Bagri Foundation.
Nandy thanked the Foundation for its financial backing and added:
“I hope their generosity inspires others to follow their philanthropic lead.”
Tate Liverpool’s redevelopment was originally due to finish in 2025, but delays in funding pushed the reopening back by two years. More exhibitions will be announced in the coming months.
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