Tim Fowler: The Ground

Tim Fowler is a Leicester artist best known for his immediately recognisable paintings that feature a palette of extremely bright and intense colours. He works intuitively, combining oil and acrylic with spray paint, enamel, graffiti inks, creating layered compositions that fizz with energy.

This exhibition, entitled ‘The Ground’, after the name that many Bajans give to their gardens, will be the Leicester artist’s largest solo show to date and a personal exploration of the artist’s Bajan heritage, bringing together key pieces from an ongoing body of work that began in 2020. Inspired by the results of a DNA test, Tim started researching his family history, and then became fascinated by plants that have made a migratory journey similar to his own DNA: from West Africa via the Caribbean to the UK.

Tim says: ‘It is important to me that this exhibition comes from a place of learning and represents both the darker colonial history of the journey that my DNA has taken, as well as the cultural beauty expressed and mirrored in the plants that I paint.’

Following a significant period of research and development, Tim’s focus has shifted from plantation crops linked to the transatlantic slave trade, such as tobacco, cotton and indigo, to plants that were used by indigenous and enslaved communities for their practical and medicinal properties. Tim visited Barbados to see first-hand how communities there live with and make use of these plants, and upon his return he spent time with the University of Leicester’s Archives & Special Collections, looking at some of the earliest books that document plants from the Caribbean for a European audience.

The exhibition features in Attenborough Arts Centre’s series of events being held during October 2024 for Black History Month and as part of the Leicester Art Week programme from 8-17 November 2024.

Accompanying the exhibition is a line of posters, postcards, badges and tote bags featuring Tim’s work available for purchase at front desk. These items are available for a limited time so make sure you explore the range when visiting.

Gallery Opening Times:

Weekdays, 12pm – 5pm
Weekends, 12pm – 4pm

Exhibition Accessibility

Our friendly team of volunteers and gallery invigilators can tell you more about the artworks and artists.

Sound and light levels can be adjusted.

Seating is available in all gallery spaces.

Gallery interpretation is produced in large print as standard.

A braille guide for the exhibition is also available from the gallery desk.

Film and video artworks are subtitled, or where this is not possible a transcript will be available.

Ear defenders are available from the gallery desk.

A full guide to accessibility and facilities information across our spaces can be found here.

If you require an adjustment that isn’t mentioned please contact us ahead of your visit and we will try to meet your request within our capacity.