Ferens exhibition shortlisted for global award

PROUD: Jason Wilsher-Mills

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

An exhibition at Ferens Art Gallery has been shortlisted for a global award.

Are We There Yet? by Jason Wilsher-Mills was staged in 2024 and attracted 51,623 people to the city centre gallery.

It has now been shortlisted for a Museum and Heritage Award, which celebrates the very best of museums, galleries and cultural and heritage visitor attractions across the world.

The exhibition takes people on a colourful journey into the imagination and experiences of Jason as a disabled artist. It features theatrical portraits and sculptures reflecting aspects of his personality, memory and disability.

Jason said: “Are We there Yet? was such an important show for me, as not only did I work with such a wonderful and supportive team at Ferens, but I was also given a chance to put into practice my manifesto for supporting other up-and-coming disabled artists in Hull, through providing them with professional opportunities.

“We were able to fund two local disabled artists to create work in response to my exhibition, for which they were paid.

“This makes me incredibly proud and I would like to take the opportunity in thanking the team at Ferens for all of their care and support, which ultimately made the show such a success.

“I am also incredibly grateful that they believed in my work so much that they purchased it for their collection.”

Jason’s work details his life as a disabled person. He uses iPads and Wacom tablets to create paintings that are transformed into large interactive sculptures, using augmented reality technology to interact with the viewer.

Though the exhibition has now ended, Jason’s work can still be found in the gallery. A huge inflatable sculpture The Withernsea 2 is currently the first thing visitors see when they enter.

POPULAR: Ferens Art Gallery. Picture by Tom Arran

A lasting legacy of the exhibition, the sculpture was inspired by Jason’s childhood memories of holidays in Withernsea and the Roos Carr figures in Hull Museums collection, and was commissioned to become part of the Ferens permanent collection.

Esther Hallberg, access and inclusion manager at Hull Museums and Galleries, said: “We are so proud that Jason’s exhibition has been shortlisted for this prestigious award, shining a light on the talents and experiences of disabled people.

“Through this exhibition, we have learnt so much about making our exhibitions and programme accessible that we will apply to our future programmes, improving access for everyone.”

The gallery has been shortlisted in the Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year category for exhibitions with a budget of up to £80,000. The awards ceremony takes place in London on May 15.

The gallery is open from 10am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, and from 11am to 4pm on Sundays.

You can find out more here.