Contemporary art

Find out about RAMM’s contemporary art programme and hear from some of the artists who have created new work inspired by the museum’s collections in a series of short interviews.

We work with artists to enable them to create new work inspired by RAMM’s collections. Sometimes we acquire contemporary art, find out more here: New Acquisitions – Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (rammcollections.org.uk). We also work in collaboration with local visual arts partners such as Exeter Phoenix, Positive Light Projects, and Arts & Culture at the University of Exeter.

For information about exhibiting at RAMM see the reports, plans and policies page. Opportunities for artists are advertised via our news page and through social media channels.

Current & past commissions, displays and exhibitions

Ashanti Hare, River that never rests 2024, still from a video: a person kneeling in a circle drawn on the floor, against a black backdrop. to the left of the photo a hooded figure holds a large tambourine

Ashanti Hare  
River that never rests

19 March 2024 – 22 Sept 2024
RAMM commissioned a performance from Devon-based multidisciplinary artist Ashanti Hare.

Janet Sainsbury, Points in a Constellation, 2023-24, a woman in a yellow top with grey hair standing in front of brightly painted canvases. she is facing to the right of the image and her hair is partially obscuring her face. she is holding a paintbrush

Janet Sainsbury 
Points in a Constellation

21 Nov 2023 – 19 May 2024
RAMM commissioned Exeter-based contemporary painter Janet Sainsbury in spring 2023.

Still from The Silver Wave, Michelle Williams Gamaker, featuring a doll wearing a fur hooded coat

Michelle Williams Gamaker 
The Silver Wave

Until 13 October 2024
RAMM commissioned filmaker Michelle Williams Gamaker.

Grace Ndiritu & particiants in 'Labour Birth of a New Museum', 2023, film still (Earth Spells, RAMM, Exeter).

Earth Spells: Witches of Anthropocene

11 February 2023 – 7 May, 2023
RAMM commissioned artists Emma Hart, Grace Ndiritu, Florence Peake and Lucy Stein for this exhibition.   

Photo: Grace Ndiritu, Labour Birth of a New Museum, 2023

A detail view of Amy Shelton's work 'Biophilia'; lots of colourful pressed flowers

Amy Shelton 
Biophilia: The Exeter Florilegium

18 Sept 2021 – 21 November 2021
RAMM commissioned Amy Shelton in April 2020 to respond to the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Simon Pope, Wassail, night time outdoor event with a sunset and fire.

Simon Pope 
Here’s to Thee

8 Jan 2023 – 31 January 2023
A joint commission between RAMM and Arts & Culture, University of Exeter, Simon Pope explored the complex cultures of cider-making while collaborating with a team.

Michelle Sank, Breathe, 2021, two children playing outside on a lawn.

Michelle Sank 
Breathe

18 Sept 2021 – 21 Nov 2021
RAMM acquired Sank’s photographic series Breathe. It is a documentation of the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Detail of The Sweetest Thing by Joy Gregory, depicting Black people loading sugar onto boats

Joy Gregory 
The Sweetest Thing

29 January 2022 – 5 June 2022
RAMM commissioned Joy Gregory to respond to Devon and Exeter’s relationship with the slave trade which remains ‘hidden in plain sight’.

Naomi Frears, Trello, 2021, black and white sculpture with model hands and sleeves.

Naomi Frears
In Other Words

14 September – 7 November 2021
RAMM commissioned Naomi Frears to create a work that examined the expressive and communicative qualities of sleeves and arms.

Léonie Hampton, A Language of Seeds,18 May 2021, Close-up photograph of a child's mouth holding a seed pod with seeds in

Léonie Hampton
A Language of Seeds

18 May 2021 – 5 September 2021
RAMM commissioned Léonie Hampton to explore RAMM’s collection of seeds and herbarium sheets.

Bryony Gillard, Unctuous Between Fingers, 2019, hand in pool of water holding seaweed.

Sea Garden

16 Nov 2019 – 26 January 2020
RAMM commissioned south west based artist Bryony Gillard for this exhibition, which explored the gendered relationship with the sea and seaweed.

Photo: Bryony Gillard, Unctuous Between Fingers, 2019

Anna Heinrich & Leon Palmer, Aerial, 2019

Heinrich & Palmer 
Aerial

20 July – 3 November 2019
RAMM commissioned Heinrich & Palmer to create a new video for RAMM’s exhibition, Birds without Borders.