I'm bringing my Bottoms exhibition to my home city

Sunderland-born artist photographer Dean Raymond Gooch is bringing his debut solo exhibition, "Bottoms," to his home city at the National Glass Centre's NGCA gallery. Opening January 31, the show features large photographic works, screenprints, and risograph prints that explore gay identity and communities through pop art, advertising, and fashion photography. Gooch, a recent University of Sunderland graduate and current MA student, was nominated for the New Blood Art - Emerging Art Prize 2025 and received The Lizzie Rowe Award. A second exhibition, "Smoke and Mirrors," opens simultaneously, featuring 15 contemporary artists who challenge traditional landscape representation through digital and mixed media.

The exhibitions matter because they highlight emerging talent from a regional UK art school and bring queer-focused contemporary art to a public gallery in Sunderland, a city not typically associated with major art events. "Bottoms" directly addresses themes of pride, community, and resistance to homophobia, while "Smoke and Mirrors" expands the conversation around how digital technologies reshape our understanding of landscape. Together, they demonstrate NGCA's commitment to both local emerging artists and critical contemporary issues, offering accessible cultural programming outside London's art scene.