An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of one of the UK's most important contemporary art venues will open at Birmingham's Ikon Gallery next week.
Ikon was conceived as a "gallery without walls", initiating touring exhibitions.
It took up residence in 1964 in a glass-walled kiosk in Birmingham's Bullring precinct, before moving to a decommissioned mortuary in nearby Swallow Street.
Ikon moved to its current premises in Oozells Square, Brindleyplace in 1998.
Some of the Best Things in Life Happen Accidentally will feature work by Ikon's four founder artists - Jesse Bruton, Robert Groves, Sylvani Merilion (nee Smith) and David Prentice - alongside that by others they selected for the artistic programme during the vital early years.
Merilion focused particularly on the scientific achievements of the 60s, especially space exploration, in her paintings and more sculptural works, while Prentice was taking inspiration from his own children around the time of Ikon's inauguration and trying to portray their experiences from their own points of view.
Ikon visitors witnessed a shift in the style of Groves, as his scenes of North Africa and India gave way to icon-like rectangles of gold-leaf and other precious metals.
Meanwhile, Bruton's work involved a palette of only black and white, eventually concluding in attempts to embody the experience of driving through landscape, in paint.
Ikon remained essentially an artists-run space until 1972, when sufficient Arts Council Funding was made available for the appointment of paid, full-time staff.
By this time, there had already been 93 solo exhibitions and 40 group shows. Spoke-woman Alison Beddoes said: "This exhibition demonstrates the fact that "some of the best things" are what Ikon has aspired to since its beginning."
* Some of the Best Things in Life Happen Accidentally runs from July 28 to September 12 at Ikon. Opening hours: Tues-Sun, 11am-6pm. Admission is free.
