Sheffield: Pete McKee lockdown exhibition launches in home city

Pete McKee says the exhibition of work in his home city of Sheffield is "where it really matters"

An exhibition of new artworks created by a Sheffield artist during the Covid lockdowns has opened in his home city.

Don't Adjust Your Mindset includes paintings, sculpture, photography and a video installation by Pete McKee.

Mr McKee says he created the artworks to explore modern British life and communication during the past two years of coronavirus restrictions.

Crowds queued for hours on the opening weekend to see the exhibition launch at Millennium Gallery.

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Mr McKee, whose first exhibitions were in pubs and restaurants, said while Don't Adjust Your Mindset had opened in London, Sheffield was the place "it really matters".

"It's a new show, it's new work. I got a really good response in London, which was very encouraging, but this is where it matters: my people, the Sheffielders," he said.

"Hopefully they'll embrace it," he added.

Tourism body Welcome to Sheffield said of the show: "This is Pete's first major exhibition since his hugely successful 2018 sell-out show, This Class Work."

The exhibition represented the "greatest seismic shift in Pete's long and distinguished career", it said.

"Celebrated for his funny, nostalgic and touching work, the content of this show, some of which is still humorous, is also tinged with dry, satirical and dark observations of the world that surrounds us and how we interact with it," it added.

Ayesha Rehman (right) has been promised by Mr McKee that he will create a future painting featuring a hijab

Mr McKee apologised on Sunday for huge queues for the opening of the exhibition, which runs for 10 days.

One of those attending, Ayesha Rehman, from Sheffield, told Mr McKee she would like to see more of his artworks featuring women in the hijab.

Ms Rehman said: "There were people from ethnic minorities in the exhibition, but no one in a headscarf."

"A painting is important because it represents the people of Sheffield - and the people of Sheffield mean a lot to Pete McKee."

Responding, Mr McKee drew Ms Rehman's picture on a tea-towel and said he would definitely incorporate her and a hijab into a future painting.

He said: "She's raised an interesting point. I try to be as inclusive as possible and - I'll hold my hand up - the hijab has only been featured on the tram at the moment.

"I'll make sure Ayesha and the hijab are involved in a McKee painting without a doubt," he said.

Don't Adjust Your Mindset is on show at Sheffield's Millennium Gallery until 22 May.