In a press conference at Tate Modern this morning (14th January), the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate announced that Phyllida Barlow is the 40th artist to join the galleries Artist Rooms collection. 

Titled untitled: upturnedhouse,2, created in 2012 is the artist’s first piece for the Artist Room collection and is gifted by Barlow for this unique collection. It will be on display at Tate Modern from the 14th January.

This news goes alongside the announcement that the first artist to be displayed as part of the first dedicated Artist Rooms gallery in the new Tate Modern will be focusing on the work of Louise Bourgeois – who was also one of the first artists to be displayed when the gallery opened in 2000. This new gallery and display will open to the public on the 17th June.

Originating back in 2008, through the work of  Anthony d’Offay, the Artist Rooms had originally comprised of the work of 32 international contemporary artists who are established in their field but aren’t necessarily recognised artists to the wider public.

The number of artists part of the Artists Room has been expanded over the years to include the work of artist such as Martin Creed, Dan Flavin and Roy Lichtenstein through the gifts and generous long-term loans from the artists, their representatives and the Artist Rooms Foundation.

Talking about being part of the Artist Rooms collection, Phyllida Barlow said: ” It is without a doubt, a huge honour and very exciting to be part of Artist Rooms. The fact that works from Artist Rooms can be installed in impressive galleries and museums around the UK is thrilling.”

The new phase of Artist Rooms will tour to over thirty venues across the UK, which has already visited 76 museums and galleries nationwide, with 143 displays and exhibitions having opened since 2009. Having been seen by 39 million people to date at venues which include the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate and will continue to tour for a further three years thanks to support from the Arts Council England and the Art Fund.

Now into its eighth year, the next phase of the tour will visit more than 30 UK venues, presenting exhibitions and displays from the collection over a three year period. It will start with a display of Roy Lichtenstein at wolverhampton Art Gallery in the Autumn this year.

Director of Tate Nicholas Serota said: “Artist Rooms has given millions of people across the UK the chance to see outstanding works of art from a unique and internationally recognised collection.”

John Leighton, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland added: “There has been an amazing response to the initiative from audiences and especially younger people who have enjoyed free access to displays of world-class modern and contemporary art with specially tailored learning programmes.”