Post by Benny Watson 

Sadler Room at the Cooper Gallery, Sat 9 May to Sat 31 October 2026 

Discover Post, a new solo exhibition from British multimedia artist Benny Watson. In his first solo exhibition with the gallery, Watson explores the material and conceptual acts of loss and renewal in a series of large-scale paintings completed in the year following the passing of his grandmother Mel Dyke. Mel was a true Barnsley legend and patron of Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust, who received an MBE in 2019 for services to education and the arts in the town. Benny and Mel often visited the gallery together in his youth. 

The works incorporate found material from her archival collection, often stuck to the dense surfaces of paintings or individually re-collaged after their desecration. These intimate fragments offer a glimpse into memory and history amongst thick planes of oil and spray paint. 

Please note that the Sadler Room is occasionally used as an events space, please contact the gallery before making a special visit to see the exhibition. For contact details and opening times, please visit Home | Cooper Gallery