MIDDLESBROUGH.- This summer offers a rare opportunity to see an exhibition of major international works at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.

Art from Elsewhere is an exhibition that brings together works from the contemporary art collections of mima and five other museums, depicting different realities of profound global change.

The Hayward Touring exhibition, supported by the Art Fund and curated by renowned international art museum director and curator David Elliott, gathers works acquired through Art Fund International, an Art Fund scheme that sought to build new collections of international contemporary art at six museums and galleries outside London.

Changing from city to city, this dynamic exhibition, which features 70 works by 39 artists from 22 countries, evolves as it moves between each gallery and museum. In this way, each showing takes a unique form and provides an array of interpretations for the visitor and the gallery alike. Following on from showings at GoMA, Glasgow, and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Art from Elsewhere’s showing at mima features artwork previously unseen on the tour and includes works by culturally diverse, international artists such as Paula Bruscky, Ai Weiwei, Shilpa Gupta and Mohamed Bourouissa.

mima Director, Alistair Hudson, said: “We’re showing this exhibition at a time when our other works on display are by internationally celebrated artists, displayed in an interactive setting; so it’s a fitting time to fully present our international links as well as the playful nature of our gallery spaces and the heritage of our specialisms. Visitors who come to this exhibition will not only be able to see an incredible amalgamation of different works but will be able to access art in a different way as we move towards taking a holistic approach to integrating art into society across the gallery.”

David Elliot, curator, Art from Elsewhere, said: “A number of museums outside London have made remarkable purchases of contemporary art from around the world with the help of a special programme created by the Art Fund. I have selected this Hayward Touring exhibition show out of this pool with a mind to indicating how art not only continues to be a truthful and often challenging expression of our times, but also has become a way of seeing them more clearly.”

Testament to the talent and diversity of artists working across the world today, Art from Elsewhere features works on paper, video, sculpture and painting, photography and installation and includes some of the most important contemporary artists of our time. The works address an array of important topical issues; life in conflict zones, oppressive government regimes, the advent of capitalism and post-colonial experiences.

Art from Elsewhere will tour; Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery in partnership with The New Art Gallery Walsall; Bristol Museum & Art Gallery; GoMA, Glasgow; Towner, Eastbourne; Harris Museum, Preston and mima.

Roger Malbert, Head of Hayward Touring, explained: "Art from Elsewhere provides an opportunity to see work by some of the leading socially engaged artists working in the world today. The works that David has selected are emblematic of their time and give insights into the individual experiences of life in conflict zones, under oppressive regimes and among ordinary people struggling to find their way in a world
increasingly divided between rich and poor. In many different media, from painting and sculpture to installation, video and photography, the urgency of the artists' concerns makes itself felt in ways that speak directly to the present."

Stephen Deuchar, Director of the Art Fund, said: “Art Fund International is one of the most ambitious collecting schemes ever launched by the Art Fund. Art from Elsewhere not only celebrates its success but also, more importantly, draws
attention to growing public interest in international art of the moment. Thanks to the expertise of David Elliott and the determination of Hayward Touring, a wide range of people across the UK will be able to see and experience some extraordinary highlights from these new, emerging museum collections."