Artist who found fame with Hirst to go on show in city

The paintings selected for this exhibition are from a key period of Rae’s career when she began introducing signs and symbols from contemporary design as well as making reference to art history.

Rae first rose to prominence alongside Damien Hirst and Gary Hume as part of the now-famous 1988 exhibition ‘Freeze’ in London’s Docklands, which propelled the generation known as the Young British Artists to stardom.

Her exhibition follows on from similar major exhibitions at Leeds Art Gallery last year by Hirst and this year by Hume, completing the triumvirate of former colleagues to showcase their work in Leeds.

Rae has enjoyed a hugely successful career of her own, being shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1991 at the age of 27 and having her work exhibited all over Europe as well as America.

In 2002, she became a Royal Academician and from 2005 to 2009 was a Tate Artist Trustee.

She is also the current recipient of the Tate Members’ Artist Commission which runs for three years ending next year.

Ms Rae said: “It’s a privilege to be offered a solo show at Leeds Art Gallery and to have the opportunity to bring together paintings I’ve made over the last ten years.

“Leeds is an important centre for contemporary art, what with the Hepworth Wakefield close by, and of course the Henry Moore Institute and others. I’m delighted to be able to join the art discussion in Leeds and propose that painting can be the most exciting and relevant way to make contemporary art.”

Leeds City Council executive member for leisure, Coun Adam Ogilvie said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming an artist of the stature of Fiona Rae to Leeds Art Gallery and to be hosting this exhibition of her work.

“Following on from her former Freeze colleagues Damien Hirst and Gary Hume it makes a fantastic follow-on for Fiona’s work to also be on show at the gallery.”

The exhibition Fiona Rae: Maybe you can live on the moon in the next century will be on display from Friday until Sunday, August 26.