I'm Sorry
I'm Sorry
About the Show.
What’s in an apology? When was the last time you said sorry… and meant it? What are you sorry, truly sorry about?
Inspired by the artist’s own deeply personal experience of loss, this exhibition is centred on the powerful, restorative and healing experience of saying “I’m Sorry”.
I’m Sorry is not about flippant apologies, taking the blame or over-apologising in fear of what others think. Instead, it’s about unburdening ourselves of guilt, reclaiming control and discovering self-esteem, without fear of conflict. It is a powerful tool for forgiveness and healing. It is introspection for the collective good to create a more compassionate world.
McCourt invites you to step inside the safe, contemplative space of I’m Sorry. Discover raw moments of private reflection, confessions without guilt, secret ceremonials of power and meditation. Take a pilgrimage into I’m Sorry and embark on a journey of personal transformation, free from judgement, before returning to daily life.
I’m Sorry by Annabel McCourt is a touring exhibition from Barnsley Civic.
“I feel vulnerable, paired-down and honest by exhibiting this work and I am profoundly grateful to every contributor for ‘speaking’ truth to power via my camera lens”
This project stems from McCourt’s experience of not being able to say goodbye to her father before he passed away. Holding a private ceremony to offer up an apology was a way for her move on and heal from this aspect of grief which is shared by many. McCourt recognised that creating this space for others might be a useful and profound tool.
Presented is a series of portraits in which the participants hold a bespoke neon ‘I’m Sorry’ written in the artist’s handwriting. Each person is captured offering their own private apology to the camera. For McCourt the glow of electrified neon gas reacts uniquely with each personality as they offer their “I’m Sorry”. The neon is an evocative metaphor for these authentic moments McCourt has captured; fragile, captivating and powerful.
I'm Sorry
Location: 18 Newport Crescent, Middlesbrough, TS1 5UA (Beside Waterstones Captain Cook Square)
Dates: Thurs 24 Sept - Sat 3 Oct (closed Mon & Tue)
Hours: Daily 10am-4pm (Sun 12-4pm)
Access: Step Free
Artists: Annabel McCourt
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Annabel McCourt is a UK-based international contemporary artist working across lens-based social realism, installation, public art, moving image, and architectural interventions. Her practice draws on fact, folklore, and legend, often combining dystopian themes with sharp, dark humour. Working frequently at a large, theatrical scale, her projects explore politics, power, and social behaviour through immersive and interactive forms.
Photography remains central to McCourt’s practice, underpinning a multidisciplinary approach that moves fluidly between image-making, spatial installation, and audience participation. Her work often engages directly with contemporary social issues, using satire, spectacle, and participatory elements to question cultural narratives and collective responsibility.
McCourt has exhibited internationally across the UK, Brazil, Australia, Senegal, and China. In 2022 she was artist-in-residence at Diversa Arte Cultura in São Paulo and also exhibited at Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival. Through an ambitious and provocative practice, she continues to create works that challenge audiences while blending political commentary with darkly playful visual language.
