Ken steps in to the spotlight at Tate Liverpool

The longest-serving member of Tate Liverpool's backroom staff will curate a special exhibition to celebrate the Albert Dock gallery’s 30th birthday next year.

Art handling manager Ken Simons (pictured left, above) has worked at the gallery since it opened in 1988, and is soon to retire after a total of 43 years with Tate.

But before he does, he’s set to step out from behind the scenes and take centre stage to bring together 30 of his favourite artworks from Tate’s huge collection in one exhibition, titled Ken’s Show: Exploring the Unseen.

Visitors to Tate Liverpool’s ground floor Wolfson Gallery will be able to enjoy works including Mark Rothko’s Light Red Over Black, which was shown back in 1988; Hollow Form With White by Barbara Hepworth, and works by JMW Turner, Piet Mondrian, Rene Magritte, and Mark Wallinger – who was awarded the Turner prize in Liverpool in 2007 – among many others.

JMW Turner's Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth ( Photography © Tate 2017 )

Ken Simons said: ‘This is an amazing opportunity to display some of my favourite works from Tate collection after so many years getting to know the works personally.

“It’s through this hands-on interaction and curating this show that I learnt and understood much more about artists’ exploration of space.”

Ken’s Show: Exploring the Unseen joins a programme for 2018 which also includes exhibitions of works by Egon Schiele and Fernand Léger, as well as a special show for the 10th edition of the Liverpool Biennial.

Ken’s Show: Exploring the Unseen runs from April 2 to June 17 2018.