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BSL Tour with John Wilson on Francis Alÿs - Ricochets

Francis Alÿs Public Programme

Francis Alÿs: Ricochets, installation view, Barbican Art Gallery, 27 June – 1 September 2024. © Jemima Yong / Barbican Art Gallery.

A British Sign Language tour of the exhibition, exclusively for D/deaf and hard of hearing visitors, highlighting key artworks. The sound in the exhibition will be adjusted for this tour.

A new immersive exhibition celebrating the universality and ingenuity of play: Ricochets is the largest institutional show in the UK by internationally renowned artist Francis Alÿs in almost 15 years.

For the past two decades, Alÿs has travelled around the world to film the critically acclaimed series Children’s Games: from ‘musical chairs’ in Mexico, to ‘leapfrog’ in Iraq, ‘jump rope’ in Hong Kong, and ‘wolf and lamb’ in Afghanistan.

Ricochets transforms our gallery into a cinematic playground: throughout the exhibition, visitors will be immersed in multi-screen film installations focussing on children’s games. Alongside the first presentation of Children’s Games in the UK, the exhibition debuts a new body of animated films depicting both traditional and lesser-known hand games played by children and adults alike. 

Generously supported by the John S Cohen Foundation, the Delegation of Flanders (Embassy of Belgium) and the Company of Arts Scholars Charitable Trust.

The Barbican was designed to be different

Our exhibitions are just the same

Let our screens bring you closer

So come for a date… come alone… come with your grandparents… come with your little one… come and let our screens bring you closer.

Art Gallery