Figuratively Speaking

Figuratively Speaking is on at the Old Parcels Office from 10 October to 1 November, open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm. It's a gallery exhibition curated by Rob Moore, and it takes the recognisable world — and the human figure in particular — as its starting point.

The show responds to the resurgence of figurative art in contemporary practice, which has returned to the centre of art-making after decades dominated by abstraction. Moore has brought together artists who use that recognisable world to explore identity, memory, heritage and lived experience. You'll find portraiture, expressive drawing, sculpture and reimagined forms across the walls and floor, each taking the figure as a point of departure rather than an end in itself.

One of the main things the exhibition makes, though, is that contemporary figuration isn't just a return to traditional conventions. It's a redefinition of what figuration can be, where realism can sit alongside abstraction and traditional materials meet digital processes. It's not about going back to the way things used to be done, but about seeing how the figure still works in a contemporary context. Moore describes the show as a way of seeing how broad and exciting figurative practice can be.

It's at the Old Parcels Office Artspace, inside Scarborough Railway Station, so it's easy to get to if you're already near the station. Admission is free, and it runs Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm, from 10 October through to 1 November.