The East Midlands of the United Kingdom have gained a new art gallery, in the shape of the new Nottingham Contemporary. It’s opening exhibition features both David Hockney, ‘England’s favorite painter’, and Frances Stark from Los Angeles.

The gallery is compact, with 4 main galleries, plus the usual shop, cafe, and a space for showing films. The building sits on a corner of a street next to a church, and despite its concrete and metal structure, it fits in very well with Nottingham’s picturesque lace market area.

The exhibitions are contrasting, with Frances Stark showing work from the last decade, and Hockney’s paintings form early in his career in the 60s. This include one of his most iconic paintings ‘A bigger splash’. Frances Stark’s work is sometimes funny, playful and uses mixed media, making it a great contrast to the paintings and drawings of Hockney.

This opening exhibition will only last until January 24 2010, but marks out Nottingham Contemporary as a gallery to watch, and a fantastic resource for the city. Visit Nottingham from abroad by flying to East Midlands Airport, and it’s only twenty minutes away.