Michaela Yearwood-Dan: The Practice of Liberation

Michaela Yearwood-Dan opens her first institutional solo exhibition in the UK at the Towner Art Gallery on 21 November, and it's a big one. Titled The Practice of Liberation, it's a major new commission that turns Gallery 1 into a layered installation, so it's more of a space to walk through than a set of works to look at from a distance.

Inside, you'll find 14 paintings and six ceramic vessels, all arranged in a multidimensional installation that Yearwood-Dan designed herself. The whole thing is carried by a bespoke musical score by composer Alex Gruz, so the sound is as much a part of the experience as the painting and ceramics. It's a lot to take in at once, and the way the different mediums sit together is a good part of the draw.

Yearwood-Dan is a British Postwar & Contemporary artist born in 1994, and her work looks at subjectivity and individual identity as forms of self-determination. This is her first solo show in a UK institution, and it's a significant step up from her previous gallery appearances. She's shown at Hauser & Wirth in London and Marianne Boesky Gallery in New York, and her paintings have reached auction prices of up to $883,869, with works on paper hitting $39,158. Her work has also been featured in FAD Magazine, ArtLyst and WHITEWALL.

The Practice of Liberation runs from 21 November 2026 to 14 February 2027, daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm. You'll find it in Gallery 1 at the Towner Art Gallery, Devonshire Park, College Road, BN21 4JJ, Eastbourne. It's free to attend, so you can just drop in whenever suits.