Opening 11 December, Palmer’s exhibition offers a bold exploration of art, violence, and vulnerability, transforming the visitor experience at the National Gallery.

From December 11, artist Katrina Palmer will unveil her latest project as Artist in Residence at the National Gallery, offering a unique experience that diverges from typical exhibitions. In a specially constructed reading room, visitors will encounter Palmer’s experimental book, The Touch Report, rather than the usual display of historical paintings. This project invites audiences to consider art in new ways by engaging with Palmer’s words, which delve into the delicate materiality and implicit power of the artworks in the National Gallery’s collection, particularly focusing on their often-violent themes.

Palmer’s work draws from a record of incidents involving the physical touching of artworks, using this as a metaphor to explore the complex narratives depicted in historical paintings. In The Touch Report, she examines the National Gallery’s collection with a critical lens, addressing the themes of violence, subjugation, and tension within these pieces. The reading room, intentionally devoid of paintings, instead features a symbolic, illuminated space that marks where the last artwork was displayed, alongside a sealed bookcase and an unattributed sculpture. This minimalist setting amplifies the book’s themes, asking viewers to reflect on what lies beyond the visible.

Accompanying this project, a National Gallery publication will present the first major survey of Palmer’s career, including essays by the artist and writer Oreet Ashery, adding depth to the exploration of violence and touch in art. Palmer’s residency is part of the National Gallery’s Artist in Residence programme, now in its fourth year in partnership with the Contemporary Art Society and Touchstones Rochdale. Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, notes that the residency offers fresh perspectives on the collection, while Mark Doyle of Touchstones Rochdale expresses enthusiasm for Palmer’s explorations of memory and absence, seeing them as complementary to the Gallery’s evolving narrative.

Date: 11 December 2024 – 28 February 2025. Location: Room 17a, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN. Price: Free. nationalgallery.org.uk