There’s just something about the way a simple painting or sketch can evoke so many different emotions that takes my breath away.

This year saw the grand opening of a new art gallery in Nottingham: the Nottingham Contemporary.

Architecturally, the outside of the building blends in with the rest of the city: you barely even see it if it’s not pointed out to you. This is obviously greatly unlike other contemporary art centres in Britain; there is nothing grand about the contemporary’s exterior, and compared to buildings such as the Tate in London and Birmingham’s Hippodrome, the gallery is nothing more than a block of middle range offices.

Up close however, the building is so much more. Carefully intercepted into the outer walls is a layer of lace. Nottingham is historically known for its lace production – the lace market is still open in the city – and this touch of elegance to an otherwise dull looking building invites you in single-handedly.

This week I took a trip to the new gallery for The Daily Wiggle, and what a pleasure it really was.

I took a look at some of the art currently on show online before I went and thought it was great. But when I actually got there, it was even more than I expected.

From now until January 24th, 2010, David Hockney’s exhibition “A Marriage of Styles” holds pride of place in the gallery. Up close, the way in which Hockney paints water with all its varying direction and colour is astounding. Some of the explanations for his pieces are really thought-provoking and interesting, often with simplistic yet ideal titles.

My personal favourite is ‘The Bigger Splash’, a painting he explains that took him two weeks to create. The magic behind the piece, he claims, is how a moment that lasted no longer than 2 seconds took him so much longer to re-create in art form. Other outstanding pieces include ‘We Two Boys Together Clinging’ and ‘Man Taking Shower in Beverley Hills.’

Also currently available for viewing is the more modern Frances Stark; an upcoming female artist from Los Angeles who focuses more on simplicity and sculpture.

On the whole, the Nottingham Contemporary left me feeling extremely satisfied and much of the work inside took my breath away. I wouldn’t recommend visiting if you didn’t like art – the art on show is not exactly your traditional, pretty painting. But for art lovers everywhere, this perfect public display is a must-visit.