Ryan Gander

New ephemeral interventions for Chester

Places I go when I can’t sleep (Explosive plans centring from the periphery), 2023

Commemorate Chester Contemporary by getting inked with an original Ryan Gander tattoo at Stigma Tattoo Studio. The design reproduces ‘action marks’ appropriated from a Tintin cartoon strip by Hergé, isolated from its original context, and depicting a circular self-fulfilling expression of energy.

Sat 23 Sept – Fri 1 Dec, 2023

Stigma Tattoo Studio, 7 Rufus Court, Chester CH1 2JB

Bookings www.stigmatattoo.co.uk

Open Mon-Sat, 10am-5.30pm

Access Stigma Tattoo Studio is up one flight of stairs.

on the Chester Contemporary map

The Cestrian Ya-Ya, 2023

Sample a cocktail invented by Ryan Gander especially for Chester Contemporary. They’ll be served at The Venetian Cichetti bar in Rufus Court and Metronome Jazz Bar in Godstall Lane, both in Chester city centre.

Just ask for the The Cestrian Ya-Ya and you’ll get a heady mix of white port, brandy, cardamom and orange bitters. The umbrella’s optional.

Sat 23 Sept – Fri 1 Dec, 2023

The Venetian Cichetti bar, Rufus Court, Chester, CH1 2JW

Bookings

Open Tues & Thurs 5-11pm; Fri & Sat noon-11pm; Sun 3-11pm

Access Level access into the venue

on the Chester Contemporary map

Centred on the periphery, 2023

Flying above The Lady Diana boat on the River Dee is a white surrender flag representing the outlines of several flags including the Union of South American Nations; the Flag of Earth; HM Coast Guard; the Principality of Sealand; NASA; Jolly Roger Pirate; United Galactic Federation; the Flag of Animal Farm; Europe; the Progress Pride Flag; the Dune Inspired Choam Flag; Japan; Australia, and Germany.

A conglomerate of optimism and collectivity.

Fri 22 Sept – Fri 1 Dec

The Lady Diana, The Groves, Chester CH1 1SZ

Bookings

Open Can be viewed 24/7 from ground level

Access

on the Chester Contemporary map

Ryan Gander OBE RA (b.1976, Chester, UK) is Artist Director of Chester Contemporary 2023, who lives and works in Suffolk. He studied at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, NL and the Jan van Eyck Akademie, Maastricht, NL. Gander has been a Professor of Visual Art at the Universities of Huddersfield and Suffolk and holds an honorary Doctor of the Arts at the Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Suffolk. In 2017 he was awarded an OBE for services to contemporary arts. In 2019 he was awarded the Hodder Fellowship at Princeton University. In 2022, he was made RA for the category of Sculpture.

He has established an international reputation through artworks that materialise in many different forms, ranging from sculpture, apparel and writing, to architecture, painting, typefaces, publications and performance.