As part of History Painting, Wylie presents a cycle of new work about the Mayflower voyage, made between 2015-2017 for this exhibition. These paintings draw on the artist's memories of first learning about the pilgrims as a young child in the 1930s, and reflect on how interpretations of history change across the ages. Rose Wylie is best known for creating colourful, large-scale, figurative paintings that are intelligent, funny, and quietly political. These are often made from memory and draw on a wide range of cultural references from history, fashion, and Hollywood to mythology, news imagery, sports and literature. The common thread linking these fields is her interest in how images evolve and accumulate meaning, becoming familiar, iconic and part of the narrative of art, popular culture and wider history. The works selected for Plymouth (her first exhibition within the South West) focus on Rose’s interests in film, fashion and history and respond to the context of the two galleries, their architecture, location and programmes. Plymouth Arts Centre present Wylie’s new Mayflower paintings alongside themes the artist has painted for many years that resonate with Plymouth’s history, including the Tudor period, the Blitz, and as a seaside resort. There will also be a selection of Rose’s ‘film notes’ paintings in reference to Plymouth Arts Centre’s 70-year history as a gallery/cinema. Ben Rivers’ film What Means Something (2015), shown as part of the exhibition, reflects on his friendship with Rose, her work, and artistic processes they have in common. At The Gallery at Plymouth College of Art, focus is given to the depiction of the female form, with a series of paintings (from 2002 to 2016) presenting pin-up girls, fashion models, sports players and a number of portraits and self-portraits. The exhibition also includes a filmed interview between Rose and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of Serpentine Galleries, made for her recent exhibition QUACK QUACK. Join us at the preview evening on Wednesday 28 March, 5 - 6:30pm with free refreshments and a first look at the exhibition, before heading to Plymouth Arts Centre between 6 - 8pm to view the rest of the exhibition. Can't make the opening? Don't worry the show runs until 30 May 2018.