Tate Liverpool unveils Chila Kumari Singh Burman retrospective as centrepiece of 2027 relaunch

At a reception in Delhi today, the Secretary of State for Culture, Lisa Nandy, announced that Tate Liverpool will reopen in 2027 with the first major retrospective of pioneering British artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman.

The exhibition will mark the reopening of the gallery following its ambitious transformation into a state-of-the-art 21st century cultural space.

Chila Kumari Singh Burman, one of the UK’s most celebrated contemporary artists, is known for her vibrant, politically charged practice. Her distinctive visual language—spanning five decades and encompassing drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, photography, video and neon—explores themes of identity, heritage, feminism and resistance. Drawing on her working-class upbringing in Bootle, Liverpool, and her Punjabi heritage, Burman has coined the term ‘Punjabi Scouser’ to describe her unique cultural identity.

Tate Liverpool Director Helen Legg said:

“Chila Kumari Singh Burman was always the artist we wanted to show on reopening, as part of a celebration of the rich culture of the North. She is renowned for creating irreverent pop and punk-inspired works in kaleidoscopic colour, infused with glitter and neon, that draw on aspects of Indian and British cultural heritage. Her works are just as striking for their subversive treatment of gender, class and identity.”

Chila Burman, Winter Commission, Tate Britain

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy added:

“I’m delighted to announce that Tate Liverpool will reopen in 2027 with the first major retrospective of Chila Kumari Singh Burman’s remarkable career… Her powerful artistic vision, spanning five decades and bringing together influences from her working-class Liverpool roots and Punjabi heritage, has already brightened our cities and lifted spirits during difficult times.”

Burman said:

“I’m made up to be coming back home to Liverpool with an exhibition that spans my whole career, from the River Mersey to the Land of the Five Rivers in Punjab. It is a real honour to be reopening the gallery and I hope the exhibition inspires a whole new generation of visitors.”

The retrospective is the first exhibition to be confirmed for the redeveloped Tate Liverpool, with further programming to be announced. The gallery will reopen with enhanced exhibition spaces, a new ground-floor art hall, and improved public areas that connect to the historic Liverpool waterfront. Supported by the Bagri Foundation, the exhibition reflects a wider commitment to showcasing diverse voices and perspectives in contemporary art.

Chila Kumari Singh Burman’s recent highlights include Remembering a Brave New World at Tate Britain in 2020, and major public commissions such as Liverpool Love of My Life, Blackpool Light of My Life, and Do You See Words in Rainbows? Her work continues to captivate audiences worldwide and will shortly feature at India House, London, by invitation of His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami, Indian High Commissioner to the UK.