The last three or four times I have tried to visit Graves Gallery (which is above the central library in Sheffield) it has been closed for one reason or another. As such, I haven't actually been for over five years and I could barely remember it. I was recently browsing the "Visit Sheffield" events site and saw that they had a collection on display on the theme of identity - so, I checked the opening times and made sure to visit as it is so relevant to my research project.

Graves Gallery has five galleries in a circuit, if I am honest - I found the first two rooms disappointingly confused. The curation made no sense to me and frankly, I thought it looked like a mess with way too many artworks (of wildly different media) crammed into a small amount of space with a blue sky and clouds painted on the walls - it just came across as confused. The third room on 'Portraits and the Human Figure' was better, although there were still too many artworks for the space, they were at least all framed paintings on a recognisable theme, so it wasn't totally incoherent and the walls painted a deep red (a bold choice) but it worked reasonably well.

I particularly liked this oil painting 'Giant Head of Gbenga' by Nahem Shoa, of a side profile because of the very sensitive use light.

I also really liked these pencil drawings, 'Accessories' by Lesley Sanderson, both for the technique and composition but also because I felt the display of the three frames together with the contrasting red wall really worked as a collection.

When I enterred the next room with the 'Art and Identity' display - these two sculptures from the 'Kingdom of the Blind' installation by Hew Locke immediately caught my eye and I knew that this was the room where I felt like I belonged.

The two figures were comprised of a mishmash of random objects including children's toys, fake flowers and jewellery. The works explore national identity through a representation of a fictional ruler's rise to power. I found the contrast between the domestic and frivolous media and the violence of the imposing, weapon bearing figures quite curious.

I really liked this collage 'How Much Longer You Bastards' by Eddie Chambers - a protest against Barclays involvement in the South African apartheid. A very effective piece of protest propaganda art - It made me relieved that I switched from Barclays (the bank account my mother set up for me when I was 16) to Nationwide.

I was really drawn to this photograph, 'Shaman (Unseen Untouchable)' by Manish Harajan which highlights the issue of statelessness. I thought it was a really interesting way to depict this particular violence of the state and highlighting the legal importance of nationality - whether or not we identify with it - it astutely makes you aware of your privelige.

I really loved this delicate, tiny portrait 'Where's tha been?' by Conor Rogers painted on a sheffield bus ticket. I've never thought of painting on my travel tickets (usually I just throw them away) but it would be something interesting to explore as a way of documenting the journeys that I frequently make.

I also liked this artwork, 'The Body Politic by Keith Piper' because of the juxtaposition of text and figuration. I thought it was interesting that the bodies are presented as headless and therefore objectified, exploring marginalised bodies.

The artwork which inevitably drew most of my attention was 'Comfort Blanket' by Grayson Perry a huge tapestry which dominated the space. I've always enjoyed Perry's work but the particular exploration of the complex and contradictory elements of British nationality was particularly fascinating to me.
Given my recent interest in exploring identity through textiles by making flags, I really loved the use of emroidery to render these hallmarks of Bri'ishness. The humor embedded in the work was particularly effective, as was the ironic use of bright, garish colours (when most people perceive the UK to be a pretty grey country).

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