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Donation Total: £50.00

No Comment

Co-curated by Jeremy Deller & John Costi

1 November – 15 December 2024
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre

Turner Prize winner, Jeremy Deller, and former prisoner-turned-artist, John Costi, will co-curate No Comment, the 17th edition of Koestler Arts’ annual UK exhibition at the Southbank Centre. The show will feature a selection of works by prisoners, secure mental health patients, immigration detainees, and other individuals in secure settings, from the UK and abroad, all submitted to the annual Koestler Awards.

Both artists have a distinctive collaborative artistic practice, which is why the decision to invite six renowned figures from different creative spheres to contribute to the process of selecting the pieces felt like a natural choice, bringing in multiple viewpoints and ideas. Artists Abbas Zahedi and Larry Achiampong, curator and art historian Andrea Emelife, activist and founder of Sports Banger Collective Jonny Banger, Director of the British Museum Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE and broadcaster Zakia Sewell spent time at the Koestler Arts Centre this summer making their guest selections.

The idea for the title, No Comment, was sparked by a piece of artwork selected for the show which depicts a person obscured by a large microphone. The painting prompted discussions about the lack of opportunities for people in secure settings to share their voice and opinions. The exhibition provides that platform and the curators wanted to ‘let the art speak for itself’, showing the range of topics and interests of artists within these settings. It will feature writing, music and design in a variety of themes; humour, honesty, sadness, political commentary and more. There will be opportunities for visitors to write feedback on their favourite pieces in the exhibition space, which will be sent directly to the exhibited artists.

Opening Times & Closures:

Please check for updates on opening times and closures when planning your visit.

Mon: 10am – 5.30pm

Tue – Wed: 10am – 8pm

Thur: 10am – 5pm (with late opening on 12 Dec until 8pm)

Fri – Sun: 10am – 8pm

Please note, the exhibition will be closed on Wednesday 13th and Monday 18th November.

Exhibition Tours:

Free exhibition tours by Koestler tour guides, some of whom have personal experience of the criminal justice system, will be available for the public at set times (listed below) in the main exhibition space.

Weds: 2pm & 6pm
Fri: 6pm
Sat & Sun: 3pm & 4pm

Free. No booking required.
Please contact sarah@koestlerarts.org.uk to book additional tours outside of these times or if you plan to bring a large group.

Meet the curators

Both artists have long associations with Koestler Arts. Deller has been a longstanding supporter of the charity, volunteering each summer to help judge the Koestler Awards and write feedback to creators in prisons for the past fifteen years. In his words, “the Koestler Awards are the Art equivalent of Wimbledon”.

Costi first learnt about Koestler Arts in 2007 during his sentence at HMP Young Offender Institution Feltham. He has come full circle in his journey with the charity, from award-winner to mentee, scholar, member of staff, Awards judge, and now he is one of the co-curators of the annual exhibition. Before his engagement with Koestler Arts, he didn’t believe art could be part of his future. It was the handwritten feedback and commendations he received through Koestler Arts which encouraged him to continue pursuing art while in prison.