About Our Collections

The University is home to one of the richest cultural collections in the North East, including Asian art, modern art, manuscripts and archives. The collection of modern art alone presents work by some of the most significant artists of the 20th and 21st centuries and specialises in print-based media.  

The variety of print-based artworks makes the collection an invaluable resource for investigating different printing techniques, from early methods of woodcut printing to more contemporary screen and digital printing techniques. The idea of the multiple print as a primary artwork is one that is often contested or misinterpreted. The collection is a unique resource in considering this idea and in investigating the different means of printing and their status. 

We are currently working on making the University art collection publicly accessible through our online database Discover and regularly open the collection through talks, tours, exhibitions and events. We also use the collection as a key primary resource for teaching and research within the University and regional schools. 

Above image credit: Guerrilla Girls, 'Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum', 2012, Copyright © Guerrilla Girls, Courtesy guerrillagirls.com.