A socially distanced art exhibition – inspired by the public’s response to lockdown – has gone on show in Coventry.
Work on Windows: The Herbert in a New Perspective is an exhibition produced in response to the artwork created and displayed in the windows of thousands of homes during the recent lockdown.
Each commission is directly painted, drawn or stuck onto the external windows which overlook the Herbert terrace on Jordan Well and is viewable without having to enter the building.
The exhibition provides access to art for individuals who may not feel comfortable entering public buildings but still want to view art offline.
The five artists involved in the project come from varied backgrounds and their styles feature everything from delicate linework and unique illustrations through to fantastical creatures and abstract forms.
The inspiration for all the commissions derives from 40 visual art and social history items within The Herbert’s own collection and will bring an exciting, newfound perspective to familiar objects.
The artist behind 100 polaroid photographs on the ground floor window was inspired by a sheep skeleton that has been in the Herbert’s collection since 1963. Tarla Patel produced work that uses large recognisable features and transforms them into imaginative geometrical patterns and includes augmented reality material.
Well-known graffiti artist, Kid30, combined imagery and ideas from different objects and artworks to directly paint a bold and instantly recognisable piece onto the smooth surface. The work was inspired by multiple items from the museum’s collection, including a Chinese porcelain jar.
Evie Kendrick, a 15-year-old digital artist based in Coventry, crafted a narrative on her window. She used a mummified cat within the collection to pay tribute to the animal’s life, as well as its current location within the Herbert’s storage area, where it’s surrounded by many other creatures.
Similarly, Claire Scully was inspired by painted creatures within the collection. The artist, a multi-disciplinary illustrator, invites visitors to discover exotic environments created in response to the sense of wonder when discovering a new piece of artwork that captures the imagination.
As part of ‘Work on Windows’ visitors can also experience one of the museum’s most famous pieces framed in a new way as Thomas Cardiff has given a Renaissance artist’s composition a modern twist.
He said: “I believe such images continue to speak to artists now, as they have done over the centuries.”
Trish Willetts, Coventry BID Director, said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming another fantastic cultural event into our great city. Not only does it showcase wonderful pieces of art by some incredibly talented individuals, but it allows people to view them in a unique and – most importantly – safe, way.”
‘Work on Windows’ is viewable at any time, however, visibility of some of the artworks varies due to reflections and weather conditions that change throughout the day.
Article courtesy of Advent Communications
Coventry is set to celebrate George Eliot’s 200-year birthday with a new display featuring the original manuscript for one of her most famous works, Middlemarch, on loan from the British Library as part of the ‘Treasures on Tour’ programme.
To highlight the famous author’s connection to Coventry, The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum will be exhibiting this work alongside other artefacts in a new display, ‘Exploring Eliot’s Coventry’.
The draft manuscript from the British Library is the only known surviving handwritten copy of Middlemarch and it is on display at the Herbert from Friday, November 1 until Sunday, January 5 2020, when it will move to Nuneaton to be displayed for a further eight weeks.
The loan of Middlemarch forms part of the British Library’s Treasures on Tour programme, working with partners across the UK to share its collection of over 170 million treasures, inspiring the next great idea or moment of joyful discovery.
The programme is generously supported by the Helen Hamlyn Trust and the British Library will be announcing additional loans as part of this programme in early 2020.
Visitors will also get the chance to see her writing desk, a copy of the original painting of Eliot by Durade, her stationary cabinet and writing board which would have been used in creating her famous works and the statuette which sat on her desk at Bird Grove in Foleshill, Coventry, as she wrote.
Alongside Eliot’s personal items and clothing, there are original copies of local studies on the author and reproductions of the real-life residents who inspired characters in her works.
There’s also the chance to see beyond her work to the inspiration she took from Coventry and her friends in the city, including Cara and Charles Bray who she visited frequently at Rosehill in the city.
Ali Wells, Curator of Natural Sciences and Human History at the Herbert, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people from across the region and literature fans everywhere to come and get a better understanding of her connection to the area and the impact she had on literature as one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.
“Eliot spent many of her early formative years in Coventry, attending Miss Franklin’s Boarding School in the city – with the original school bell which was used at the time shown in the exhibition – and then later living with her father here until the age of 30, so the city has had a substantial impact on her life.
“She took a great deal of inspiration from the people she met during her time in the Midlands including one of her neighbours called Mrs Robinson, who became the inspiration for her character Mrs Pettifer in Scenes of Clerical Life.
“Eliot’s work is such an important part of our history as a region, so we’re glad to be able to celebrate 200 years of the impact her work has had and we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors from far and wide to help us celebrate!”
Jamie Andrews, Head of Culture and Learning at the British Library, said: “We are delighted to be loaning George Eliot’s Middlemarch to our partners in Coventry and Nuneaton.
“This is the first loan the British Library has made as part of its national touring programme ‘Treasures on Tour’ – designed to enable important collection items to be seen in communities across the UK.
“We are grateful to the Helen Hamlyn Trust for support to make this loan possible, and will be announcing further loans in 2020.”
Entry to the Herbert is free and for more information on the exhibition, visit www.theherbert.org/exploring_eliots_coventry.
Article courtesy of Advent Communications
A Coventry art gallery will continue to attract internationally significant work – thanks to a partnership that stems from the city’s industrial heritage.
The exhibition, ‘Radical Drawing: Works From Coventry And The Courtauld’ is the latest collaboration between the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and The Courtauld Gallery, and will be on show from now until Sunday, January 19.
Inspired by collector, philanthropist and founder of The Courtauld Gallery, Samuel Courtauld, whose family established textile businesses across the UK in regions including Coventry, Wolverhampton and Braintree, the partnership means visitors will be able to enjoy works by renowned artists’ long into the future, having already seen paintings by the likes of Degas and Cézanne on display at the Herbert.
“This is the third iteration of our partnership,” said Francis Ranford, Cultural and Creative Director at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.
“Our latest exhibition is truly stunning and demonstrates the growth and depth of our partnership.
“Working with prestigious partners allows us to bring nationally and internationally significant work to the region to sit alongside Coventry’s own collections. These pieces are enhanced by a dialogue which demonstrates how artists’ work can complement each other over the course of time.”
Deborah Swallow, of The Courtauld Institute of Art, said: “This exhibition is not one of a limited series, we want this to be a friendship, a relationship and a partnership with Coventry that goes on forever.
“We are linked by the history of Courtaulds Limited and the work we are bringing to Coventry is everybody’s to explore and enjoy.
“I am thrilled by this exhibition and just how well the two collections speak to each other, as the strength of the drawings collection in Coventry should not be underestimated.
“Radical Drawing really gives people the chance to engage with the art, which is wonderful to see.”
The exhibition showcases a series of works from the last 400 years, many of which have never been on show before.
The artworks, taken from the collections of The Courtauld Gallery, the University of Warwick and the Herbert’s own collection, include works by George Romney, Camille Pissarro, Pablo Picasso, Art & Language, Barbara Walker and Miriam de Búrca.
Also on display are objects from the Herbert’s collections linked to the Courtaulds factory in Coventry, and a film produced for the exhibition featuring former employees of Courtaulds Ltd discussing their experience of working for this significant employer in the city.
Article courtesy of Advent Communications
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ _i=”0″ _address=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0″ custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.29.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0.0″]WHERE’S WALLY? THE BIG MUSEUM HUNT
FIND WALLY IN THE HERBERT ART GALLERY & MUSEUM!
This half-term, WALLY, the world’s favourite children’s book character – wearing a red-and-white striped shirt and black-rimmed specs – will be travelling the country, appearing in museums, including a visit to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry. Families will be able to join the search for Wally to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry as part of Where’s Wally? The Big Museum Hunt, organised by Walker Books and Kids in Museums, to celebrate the release of the new book, Where’s Wally? Double Trouble at the Museum.
Launching in time for October half-term, the promotion will run from 12 October until 3 November 2019. Each participating museum will create and promote their own Where’s Wally? search-and-find trail as part of this nationwide campaign, giving families the chance to receive an ‘I Found Wally!’ sticker at the end and to enter the Where’s Wally? and Kids in Museums grand prize draw competition.
Wally is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes first swept the globe in 1987. Since then, the Where’s Wally? books have held a favourite spot on bookstore shelves the world over and have sold over 72 million copies worldwide in thirty-one countries. Wally has reached celebrity status: he has been referenced in the primetime American TV shows Frasier, The Simpsons and Friends; he appeared on the 1000th anniversary cover of Rolling Stone magazine as a cultural icon of the last 40 years; he has even been found on Google Earth!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SEARCHING FOR WALLY IN THE HERBERT ART GALLERY & MUSEUM, contact the museum on 024 7623 7521 or email info@culturecoventry.com
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Visitors to an immersive exhibition in Coventry, which has launched in the city, can step through the walls and into a re-imagined world.
Wonder is a colourful, eye-catching exhibition featuring seven artists who have together created a dreamy summer show at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry.
Wonder at The Herbert features a vibrant mix of digital artwork, light installations, augmented reality, paintings and textiles that transport visitors into an out of this world experience.
Much of the exhibition features newly commissioned work which has been inspired by the Museum’s own collection.
There is even a chance to become part of the exhibition as an open frame leads from one part of the gallery to another – like a window into another world – allowing visitors to take centre stage.
Francis Ranford, of Culture Coventry – the charity which runs the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, said Wonder was designed to reach new audiences at the Herbert.
She said: “There is often a predetermined idea that museums must provide all of the knowledge and answers to our visitors questions.
“Wonder is a challenge, a space where we ask questions and take visitors on a journey of discovery. We want to change the perceptions of what an art gallery and museum should be and bring new audiences with us on the journey.
“Our launch event was incredibly popular and brought a youthful crowd of makers, musicians and culture connoisseurs to the Herbert, which was really exciting, especially as we build towards UK City of Culture in 2021 and beyond.”
The exhibition will run until September 15 and will be accompanied by a range of inspiring events and family activities during the school summer holidays.
Wonder has been curated by Dr. Rachel Marsden and features work by Antonio Roberts, Davy and Kristin McGuire, Edie Jo Murray, Julia Snowdin, Ben Javens and Lucy McLauchlan.
Rachel said: “It has been exciting to work with these talented and unique artists and invite them to create works in response to the collection at the Herbert – the results are wonderful in every sense.
“We all lead very busy lives and get very little time for reflection. I hope that Wonder gives people the chance to visit, take time to look and listen to some of the questions the exhibition is asking and take a brief interlude from their everyday lives.”
For more information go to Wonder – Where Reality & Imaginary Collide
Article courtesy of Advent Communications