The Barber Institute of Fine Arts University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TS
Admission to Galleries and ALL Exhibitions is free Opening Hours Monday to Friday: 10am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday: 11am – 5pm (Closed 24 – 26 December 2012, 1 January and 29 March 2013)
find out more T: 0121 414 7333 W: www.barber.org.uk E: info@barber.org.uk
By Train Local trains operated by London Midland run from Birmingham New Street to University station, a 10-minute walk from the Barber. Check train times and buy tickets at www.londonmidland.com. By Bus There are frequent buses (61, 62 and 63 operated by National Express West Midlands) from the city centre past the bottom of Edgbaston Park Road By Car South Car Park (off Edgbaston Park Road) is five minutes walk away. Charges apply Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 4.30pm. FREE parking is available on campus around the Barber outside these times. For maps and more information about how to travel to the Barber visit: www.about.bham.ac.uk/maps
DECEMBER 2012 – APRIL 2013
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How to Find us The Barber Institute is located in south-west Birmingham, approximately three miles from the city centre, at the East Gate of the University of Birmingham, off Edgbaston Park Road.
GALLERY
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Exhibitions Events Lectures
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The Barber Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of:
Workshops www.barber.org.uk
News
Welcome Monet and Magritte; Renoir, Rubens, Rossetti and Rodin; Degas, Delacroix and Van Dyck — not to mention Botticelli, Poussin, Turner, Gainsborough, Gauguin,Van Gogh, Picasso, Hodgkin… You can see key works by all these – and many more – great artists in the galleries at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. There’s also a stunning coin gallery and an exciting programme of exhibitions, concerts, lectures, gallery talks, workshops and family activities. The Barber was founded in 1932 by Dame Martha Constance Hattie Barber in memory of her husband, Sir William Henry Barber ‘for the study and encouragement of art and music’. Housed in a Grade II* listed Art Deco building designed by Robert Atkinson, it was officially opened by Queen Mary in 1939. Featuring many of the greatest names in Western art, the Barber holds one of the most outstanding and internationally significant collections assembled in Britain during the 20th century.
DECEMBER 2012 - APRIL 2013
Families
FIRST
As well as around 150 major paintings and some stunning pastels and watercolours, the Barber is also home to more than 1000 drawings and prints, a fine collection of sculpture – including works by Degas and Roubiliac – decorative art and portrait miniatures. In addition, the Barber also has one of the finest collections of Roman, Byzantine and Medieval coins in the world. A haven of tranquillity in a bustling metropolis, the Barber Institute is a must for anyone visiting Birmingham and the West Midlands. No wonder that it has been described as ‘one of the finest small art galleries in Europe’. Our expanding programmes of family activities and Barber Concerts are now covered by separate leaflets. Look out for these:
Our expanding programmes of family activities and Barber Concerts are now covered by separate leaflets. Look out for these: (see left).
Cover image: Nestor Cambier, Portrait of Lady Barber, 1919 (detail). ©The Henry Barber Trust, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
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AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR The exhibitions, displays, talks and events featured in this brochure represent the opening salvo of an extraordinary year-long celebration of the foundation of the Barber Institute in December 1932. The launch exhibition, Portrait of a Lady is, suitably enough, devoted to the founder herself, Lady Barber. It is based on fresh research that will reveal her to be a much more significant collector than previously understood. Her collection of historic lace is especially remarkable and has inspired a contemporary response by the textile artist Jacqueline Lawrence. The architect of the Barber Institute, Robert Atkinson, is also celebrated in a special display that looks anew at his achievements and his much-loved masterpiece. In February we are honoured to receive loans from two outstanding and celebrated private collections of British portrait miniatures, choice selections from which are combined in Close to the Heart. This will be a rare opportunity to enjoy these exquisite works, which for the duration of the exhibition will provide one of the finest displays in the country outside London. In a very different and innovative exhibition, selected works by recent local fine art graduates will be displayed in a joint project with Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and Grand Union. It is hoped that this new initiative will help encourage and develop young artists from the West Midlands, as well as attract new audiences to the Barber. Together with an incredibly full and dynamic programme of events, talks and workshops, for all age groups and abilities, the next five months promise to be one of the most exciting periods in the history of the Barber. And there is much, much more to come!
STOP PRESS: NEW DIRECTOR Nicola Kalinsky, until recently Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland, takes up her duties as the sixth Director of the Barber Institute on 14 January. Playing a central role in the 80th anniversary programme throughout 2013, Nicola will also lead the Barber as it hones plans for a major redevelopment of its building. At the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Nicola lead the recent £17.6 million transformation of the Edinburgh gallery. She is an18th-century art specialist and is particularly interested in how design and gallery information can be used to increase public enjoyment of art collections in traditional galleries. Read more: www.barber.org.uk
IN CONVERSATION... Wednesday 23 January, 6pm Here Nicola discusses her career to date and her ideas for the future of the Barber. FREE, booking essential. Contact 0121 414 7333 or info@barber.org.uk
Robert Wenley Acting Director
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Exhibitions
Exhibitions
IN FRONT OF NATURE
The European Landscapes of Thomas Fearnley 19 October 2012 – 27 January 2013 Blue Gallery
Exhibition Tours
Sundays 16 December, 20 January,17 March & 21 April, 2.30pm; 17 February, 3pm See Pages 15-18 for details
Public LectureS
Wednesdays 6, 13 & 20 March, 1.10pm See Pages 17 and 18 for details
Film Event
Sunday 17 February, 1-3pm See Page 13 for details
CITYSCAPES
The fjords, forests, mountains, torrents and glaciers of Scandinavia and Switzerland, the lakes and picturesque country buildings of Cumbria, and the sun-drenched plains, hillsides, rocks and sea-shores of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean… Landscapes featuring a breathtaking range of Europe’s varied and beautiful scenery feature in this dazzling exhibition - the UK’s first show focusing solely on the work of one of Scandinavia’s most important painters, Thomas Fearnley (1802-42). Of British ancestry, but born and brought up in Norway, and tutored by Johan Christian Dahl, Fearnley was thought by some critics during his lifetime to possess a talent for landscape that rivalled JMW Turner’s. But while he is today revered as one of the fathers of Norwegian painting, in this country he is now virtually unknown. This exhibition includes iconic large landscape paintings, oil sketches and drawings from major galleries in the UK and abroad, including prestigious loans from Oslo’s National Museum of Art Architecture and Design, the National Gallery, London and the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.. It also includes a large number of Fearnley paintings from private collections, many of which have never before been seen in public. Based on extensive new research it aims to restore the reputation of a supremely talented, yet little-known artist of the Romantic era. A fully illustrated exhibition book accompanies the show. Image: Thomas Fearnley, Coniston Water with a Boat, 1837 (detail). Private Collection.
Panoramic Views on European Coins and Medals 27 April 2012 – 6 October 2013 Coin Gallery
London, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Barcelona, Venice and Budapest: this absorbing exhibition – the third in a series of shows organised in collaboration with the British Museum – explores the landscapes of all these European cities and more.
Public Lecture
Wednesdays 23 January, 1.10pm See Page 15 for details
Gallery TalkS
Tuesdays 15 & 22 January, 1.15pm See Page 15 for details
Celebrating the built and cultural heritage of early modern urban centres through the most circulated art medium – coins and medals – it focuses on the 16th to the 18th century, when many of the great cities of Europe applied the artistic tradition of the city view to their currency. In a world dominated by dynasties and kings, the leaders of those cities used their silver and gold coinages to reflect urban pride and civic power. Wonderfully intricate images – featuring churches, citadels, fortifications, harbours, civic buildings, houses and suburbs – showcase the exquisite skill of engravers who produced miniature masterpieces, working without the benefit of modern technology. Find out more: http://barber.org.uk/cityscapes/ Above: Silver Medal of Amsterdam (detail). Coins and Medals, The British Museum Collection
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EXHIBITIONS
MUSIC
80th ANNIVERSARY EVENING CONCERTS ALINA IBRAGIMOVA (violin) CEDRIC TIBERGHIEN (piano) Wednesday 30 January, 7.30pm
Gallery TalkS
Tuesdays 18 December, 5 and 19 February, 1.15pm; Friday 11 January, 12.30pm See Page 15 and 16 for details
PORTRAIT OF A LADY
The Life and Passions of Lady Barber
14 December 2012 – 24 February 2013 Lady Barber Gallery
Who was Dame Martha Constance Hattie Barber? And what inspired her generous bequest to the University of Birmingham? This exhibition provides the answers focusing on Lady Barber herself, her life, that of her husband, Sir Henry, their house at Culham Court and its remarkable gardens and collections. A significant part of these have passed to the Barber Institute, including the extraordinary group of portraits of Lady Barber by her favoured artist, the Belgian Nestor Cambier. A selection of the most interesting of these will form the central element of the show. Also included will be some outstanding but rarely seen tapestries and textiles formerly at Culham Court, and some of the finest pieces from Lady Barber’s fascinating and important collection of lace. These works of art will be complemented by archive photos and documents that will provide insights into the lives and interests of the Barbers. A final section will explore their connections with the University of Birmingham, culminating in Lady Barber’s magnificent gift. Also launched with the exhibition will be an anniversary publication, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts: Foundations of a Collection (Scala Publications), which will include chapters on the Barbers, on the University’s response to the gift, on music at the Barber in its early years and on Thomas Bodkin, the first Director, and the acquisitions he made for the gallery.
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Schubert Rondo Brilliante B, D. 895 Violin Sonata in A, D. 574 ‘Grand Duo’ Fantasie in C, D. 934 Sei mir gegrüsst! Nacht und Träume Since they met as part of the BBC New Generation Artist Scheme in 2005, Alina Ibragimova and Cedric Tiberghien have formed a hugely successful partnership, recording and performing internationally to great acclaim. Following their first appearance at the Barber in 2010, they return with an all Schubert programme featuring two song arrangements, Nacht und Träume and Sei mir gegrüsst!, alongside three virtuosic concert works for violin and piano. All concerts take place in the Barber Concert Hall. Admission: £12; £9 Concessions; £6 Friends; £3 Students. To book, please contact the Barber Box Office on 0121 414 7333.
JERUSALEM QUARTET Wednesday 13 February, 7.30pm Alexander Pavlovsky (violin) Segei Bresler (violin) Ori Kan (viola) Kyril Zlotnikov (cello) Mozart Quartet in B flat, K. 589 Shostakovich Quartet No.12 in D flat, op. 133 Beethoven Quartet B flat, op. 18 no..6 Like visual artists, composers have traditionally relied on patrons, not only to commission their works but also to fund their publication and promote their performance. The importance of patronage in music is illustrated by this programme. Mozart’s K. 589 was written for King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, an amateur cellist, while Shostakovich’s quartet is dedicated to Dmitry Tsyganov, the first violinist of the Beethoven Quartet, who premièred the work. Prince Lobkowitz, to whom Beethoven dedicated his first set of quartets, op. 18, was one of the composer’s early patrons.
CLIPPER ERICKSON (piano) LAURIE ALTMAN (composer) Wednesday 20 March, 7.30pm Programme includes: Copland Four Piano Blues Laurie Altman Pedro’s Story Sonata V Richard Brodhead Sonatina Tanguera David Finko Sonata No.3 The American pianist Clipper Erickson, known for his passionate and colourful playing, presents an all-American programme, reflecting his fascination with the music of his homeland and his commitment to working with contemporary composers. Composer Laurie Altman gives a pre-concert talk at 6.30 pm. There is also an exciting programme of FREE, Friday lunchtime (1.15pm) concerts at the Barber. See our Barber Concerts brochure, or visit http://barber.org.uk/category/ concerts/, for full listings.
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EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS
PUBLIC LECTURES
Wednesdays 16 January & 27 February, 1.10pm See Pages 15 and 17 for details
‘THE MOST PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HIS WORK’ Robert Atkinson and the Building of the Barber Institute 14 December 2012 – 5 May 2013 Print Bay, Green Gallery The Barber Institute is widely regarded as an Art Deco masterpiece. This display explores its gradually evolving concept and actual construction, up to its opening in July 1939. Thomas Bodkin, the first Director, and the architect, Robert Atkinson, travelled across Europe for inspiration, and the final scheme was much influenced by Dutch and Scandinavian building practice. Included alongside architectural plans, blueprints, drawings and photographs will be memorabilia relating to the official opening of the building by Queen Mary, just six weeks before the outbreak of World War II. The display will also include sections on later developments and future plans for the building, alongside testimonies from those who knew the building and its collections in the early days.
INSPIRED BY LACE Jacqueline Lawrence
14 December 2012 – 24 February 2013 Learning Room
PUBLIC LECTURE
Wednesday 30 January, 1.10pm See Page 16 for details
Workshop for Adults Saturday 26 January, 11am-4pm See Page 11 for details
Gallery Talk
Tuesday 29 January, 1.15pm See Page 16 for details
Lady Barber’s excellent personal lace collection is the starting point for mixed-media textile artist Jacqueline Lawrence’s series of sensitively observed works. For hundreds of years, lace has provided a decorative aspect to things of practical use. This function – as well as lace’s intricate detail, imaginative design, colour and even discolouration – fascinates Lawrence. She has sought to imbue her own work with the vintage quality of Lady Barber’s lace – a selection of which is included in the exhibition Portrait of a Lady – through a variety of natural and artificial processes. Lawrence, an exciting and innovative designer, already has close affiliations with the Barber through the extremely popular community-led exhibition Inspired Stitches: Textile Responses to the Barber Collection (2009). Left: Jacqueline Lawrence, 2012
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CLOSE TO THE HEART
17th to 19th-Century British Miniatures from UK Private Collections 1 February – 5 May 2013
HORSES!
Equestrian Themes in the Barber’s Collections of Works on Paper 30 August 2012 – 20 January 2013 Print Bay, Beige Gallery
The domesticated horse has enjoyed a special relationship with man for millennia as a crucial partner in warfare, hunting, agriculture, leisure and other major aspects of our existence. This display of prints from the Barber collection explores our relationship with this animal, prized for its strength, speed, and sometimes its wildness. Horses also held a special place in the affections of Sir Henry and Lady Barber, themselves keen equestrians, and rarely seen photographs from the Barber’s archive of the pair, proudly mounted on their own prize steeds, are also included.
Print Bay, Beige Gallery Micro-masterpieces of British portraiture from two celebrated UK private collections are displayed in this exhibition, some for the first time ever. The exhibits range in date from about 1600 to 1850, and include exquisite examples by such leading names in the field as Peter Oliver, George Engleheart, Richard Cosway, John Smart and Sir William Ross. Together they will provide one of the finest displays of miniatures to be seen anywhere in the UK outside London. This exhibition has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Bonhams. Above: Richard Crosse, Two Unknown Boys, possibly a self-portrait of the artist and one of his brothers. Daphney Fosskett Collection.
PUBLIC Lecture
Wednesday 13 February, 1.10pm See Page 16 for details
Gallery TalkS
Tuesday 5 March, 16 & 30 April, 1.15pm See pages 17 and 18 for details
Fine Art Valuation Day Monday 22 April 10am-4pm
Marking the exhibition Close to the Heart, come and meet the Bonhams Portrait Miniature expert who will be available for valuations of your miniatures. Raising funds for St Marys Hospice, specialists from Bonhams in Paintings, Sculpture, Ceramics and General Art and Antiques will also be on hand to advise you on the current auction market. A suggested donation to the hospice of £3 per item.
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EXHIBITIONS
WORKSHOPS
TEXTILE ART
Gallery Talk
Saturday 26 January 11am – 4pm
Tuesday 12 March, 1.15pm See Page 17 for details
Adult Workshop
Saturdays 13, 20 & 27 April (three-week course) See Page 12 for details
BARBER YOUTH
NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS New Work by Recent Local Graduates 8 March – 19 May 2013 Lady Barber Gallery New Art West Midlands is a brand-new collaborative venture in partnership with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and Grand Union, Birmingham, and funded by Turning Point West Midlands. This split-site, selected award exhibition profiles the best, critically-engaged work by recent graduates from the West Midlands’ university art schools. It aims to help provide a crucial bridge for young artists between training and the first steps in a professional career. Above: Clair Walton, Dying West, 2009 (detail).
Aged 15-19 and into art? Join Barber Youth! Learn new skills in drawing, painting, printing, sculpture and more!
Create artwork to display in your own exhibitions at the Barber! Dates: Tuesday 11 December, 15 and 29 January, 12 and 26 March, 9 and 23 April, 4.30 – 6.30pm; Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 February, 10am – 4pm
DROP-IN LIFE-DRAWING DAY
15 February – 5 May 2013 Case Display, Blue Gallery The windswept trees in the foreground of Monet’s wonderful painting The Church at Varengeville were the inspiration for Michele White’s new work. Hand-crafted in silver, each layer was carefully constructed to represent the church in the background and trees in the foreground. The glorious autumn colours were created by pausing the process of oxidisation at different stages. White fuses the ancient craft of jewellery-making with the fine art of painting, striving to capture an emotional response in her work through the careful selection of precious metals and gemstones.
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£30; £25 University staff/ Friends of the Barber/Over 60s; £20 Students. 10 places available Booking essential*
Visit museums and art galleries! Meet artists and learn about careers in the arts!
£5 per session. Booking essential* (limited spaces available)
MONET’S VIEW BY MICHELE WHITE
Textile artist Jacqueline Lawrence will inspire you to make your own mixed-media artworks in response to her exhibition Inspired by Lace. Materials provided. Suitable for all ability levels.
Saturday 19 January 12noon – 4pm
Be inspired by Lady Barber and have a go at drawing a life-model in costume in the gallery. Artist Ruth Radcliffe will be on hand to offer practical tips and advice. Materials provided. Suitable for all ages and abilities FREE. Drop-in.
BOOKING *Booking essential. For more information or to book a place contact 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk
WATERCOLOUR PORTRAITURE
(4-week Saturday course) Saturday 2, 9, 16 & 23 February 11.30am – 4.30pm Artist Paul Bartlett RBSA will advise you on how to draw and paint portraits in watercolour while referring to a life model. Materials provided. Suitable for all ability levels. £120; £105 University staff/Friends of the Barber/Over 60s; £90 Students. 9 places available Booking essential*
UNDERSTANDING ART PART I – BODIES: INSIDE AND OUT (3-week Thursday afternoon course) Thursday 7 February, New Art Gallery Walsall Thursday 14 February, Barber Institute of Fine Arts Thursday 21 February, Ikon gallery, Birmingham 2 – 3pm
This new three-part course explores the links between cutting-edge contemporary art and historical art from the Renaissance right through to Modernism. The first session discusses the controversial work of Damien Hirst, whose Trinity – Pharmacology, Physiology, Pathology, is on show at the New Art Gallery, Walsall. The second session explores representations of gender and sexuality in works from the Barber’s collection, challenging our ideas about femininity and masculinity. Finally, in session three, you will visit Ikon to examine the finely detailed drawings of John Flaxman in the exhibition Line to Contour, whose practice involved intense academic study of the human form. £15 for all 3 sessions Look out for Understanding Art Part II (June 2013) and Understanding Art Part III (November 2013). To book go to: www.bookwhen. com. See website for further details: www.barber.org.uk; www.thenewartgallerywalsall.org. uk; www.ikon-gallery.co.uk
UNDERSTANDING ART
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WORKSHOPS
DRAWING THE FIGURE FROM LIFE Saturday 2, 9 & 16 March and Saturday 13 & 20 April 11am – 2pm
Experiment with different drawing techniques and materials while drawing directly from the life-model. More experienced practitioners can work independently. However, an experienced artist/tutor will be on hand to offer practical guidance for beginners. Materials provided. Suitable for all ability levels. £25 per session; £20 University staff/Friends of the Barber/Over 60s; £15 Students. 8 places available. Booking essential*
THE ART OF CONFIDENCE WORKSHOP
2-day course Saturday 23 March and Saturday 6 April 12noon – 4pm Learn the ancient art of confidence in this two-day workshop with actress and theatre-in-art storyteller Anna Conomos. Taking inspiration from
SPECIAL EVENTS a variety of portraits depicting nobility, aristocrats, warriors and scholars, from the 16th century to the 19th century, you will focus on voice and speech on day 1, and day 2 will focus on body language and posture. See website for more information. £50; £40 University staff/Friends of the Barber/Over 60s; £30 Students. Booking essential*
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY ART (3-week Saturday course) Saturday 13 April, Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery Saturday 20 April, Grand Union, Birmingham Saturday 27 April, Barber Institute of Fine Art This exciting three-week course will introduce you to the ideas and theories behind contemporary art. Sessions will involve talks, discussions and practical workshops led by contemporary artists at each gallery. See website for more information. Booking essential*
SPECIAL EVENTS
BARBER BOOK CLUB Tuesday 15 January 3.30 – 4.30pm My Uncle Frank by Thomas Bodkin (the Barber’s first Director) Tuesday 12 February 3.30 – 4.30pm Death in Venice by Thomas Mann Tuesday 12 March 3.30 – 4.30pm Changing Places: A Tale of Two Campuses by David Lodge Tuesday 16 April 3.30 – 4.30pm Peril at End House by Agatha Christie £5 per session. Booking essential*
ARTS AND SCIENCE FESTIVAL Look out for the Arts and Science Festival at the University of Birmingham from 18-22 March 2013. See website for more information.
LECTURE: ‘GATEWAY TO HEAVEN’ 50 Years of Lesbian and Gay Oral History Thursday 21 February 6.30 – 8.30pm Lesbian actress, writer and comedian Clare Summerskill discusses her ground-breaking films, Gateway to Heaven and Queen’s Evidence, based on memories of older LGBT people about their lifelong relationships with the police. See website for further information.
LOVE ART? Thursday 14 February 6.30 – 8.30pm Look out for our special LGBTQ themed Valentines Evening – all welcome. We’ll be screening the award-winning film Looking for Langston (1989) by Isaac Julien. £5, Booking essential.* Wine served
LECTURE: BIRMINGHAM’S GAY HISTORY Tuesday 26 February 6.30 – 8.30pm David Viney of Birmingham LGBT talks about the Gay Birmingham Remembered project. With new research, film and personal testimony to explore the social, political and personal journeys of Birmingham’s LGBT community from the 1800s to today. FREE, booking essential.* Wine served
FREE, booking essential.* Wine served
KINO 10
Cinematic ‘Grand Tour’:Venice and Rome with KINO10 Sunday 17 February 1 – 3pm
BOOKING *Booking essential. For more information or to book a place contact 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk
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Venice and Rome were the Grand Tour destinations of choice for aristocrats and wealthy British gentlemen from the 17th-19th century. Cultivate your mind, delight your senses and experience Italian culture, in our very own cinematic cultural quest! £5, booking essential.*
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SPECIAL EVENTS
THE BIRMINGHAM LECTURE SERIES 2013
TAPESTRY AND HISTORY: HARDWICK HALL AND PACKWOOD HOUSE
REGULAR EVENTS its presence would encourage inhabitants and visitors alike to reflect on ancient Rome - the great centre of classical civilisation - and the comparative achievements of modern day Birmingham. Architecture historian Anthony Peers considers the claim that it is England’s first truly civic building.
THE POWER OF CONSERVATION-INACTION Tuesday 19 March 7.30pm
Tuesday 19 February 7.30pm
Attingham Re-discovered is an ambitious, long-term programme of conservation and restoration of Hardwick is home to one of the the historic interiors of Attingham most important collections of Park, a large Regency mansion in historic textiles in Britain, assembled Shropshire owned by the National by the Countess of Shrewsbury in Trust. Since it began in 2006, the the late 16th century and cared project has consistently engaged for by subsequent generations. In the public in the decision-making this lecture, National Trust tapesty processes of conservation. National curator Helen Wyld explores the Trust researcher and curator role of tapestry within historic Sarah Kay discusses the impact buildings, not only at Hardwick, of conservation-in-action on the but also at Packwood near Solihull Trust’s work and reveals how where tapestry was used alongside its next major phase, Attingham stained glass, panelling and furniture Re-discovered Goes Through the to fabricate a seemingly timeless Roof, tackling Nash’s iconic Picture English manor house. Gallery, will take the project to new heights.
BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL: ENGLAND’S FIRST TRULY CIVIC BUILDING The Michael Cadbury Memorial Lecture Tuesday 5 March 7.30pm
£9.50 per ticket or £25.50 for the series.
Lectures are held in the Barber Concert Hall and admission is by ticket only. Lectures are preceded at 6pm by light refreshments (tea, Built in the early 1830s, Birmingham coffee and biscuits) and a private view of the Barber Gallery, both Town Hall was Britain’s first great included in the ticket price. For concert hall, designed to seat more information, or to book a 3,000 people. Its architects were place, contact 0121 414 2261 or inspired by the form and style of education@barber.org.uk Roman temples and hoped that
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Sunday Gallery Tours Second and fourth Sundays of the month, 2.30pm; FREE Find out about our collections and exhibitions in this hour-long tour. Meet in the foyer. Cityscapes tours are the third Sunday of the month.
Lunchtime Lectures Wednesdays 1.10pm, Barber Lecture Theatre; FREE Our popular, public, illustrated 50-minute lectures complement our collection and exhibitions and are historical themes, given by experts in the field.
Tuesday Tours & Talks Tuesdays, 1.15pm; FREE These weekly tours focus on exhibitions and displays, as well as introductory and themed mini-tours of the collection. Gallery talks last 20 minutes, and taster tours 30 minutes.
Events diary – DECEMBER
Audio-descriptive Gallery Tours for Blind and Partially Sighted Visitors
Audio-descriptive Gallery Tours for Blind and Partially Sighted Visitors can be arranged for groups of 8 or more with our trained guides. Guided tours cost £4 per person.* Hand-held magnifiers, as recommended by the RNIB, are also available from reception. Ask our gallery staff for more information
Fridays, once a month, 12.30pm; FREE
For individual titles, subjects and dates for regular events, please consult the Events Calendar (pages 15 - 18) For information on concerts and family events, pick up our Families First or Music brochures in the gallery, or download from www.barber.org.uk
GALLERY Tour
Saturday 1,12noon – 6pm Art Bus The Barber, RBSA, IKON, Eastside Projects, BMAG, mac
Sunday 13, 2.30pm
Gallery Talk Tuesday 4, 1.15pm Pieter Bruegel the Younger: Two Peasants Binding Faggots (POM) Sophie Bostock, Assistant Curator
Gallery Tour Sunday 9, 2.30pm
Taster Tour Tuesday 11, 1.15pm Escape to the Country: Gainsborough’s Landscapes John Southall, Gallery Guide
Barber Youth*/** Tuesday 11, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people
Gallery Tour
Picture of the Month
Discover our chosen picture (POM) or object of a month (OOM) with a special Friday lunchtime talk. Last approximately 20 minutes and take place in front of the works themselves.
Special Event
BSL GALLERY TOUR FOR DEAF VISITORS Sunday 24 February, 2.30pm Join us for an introductory gallery tour with a BSL interpretor. FREE, Booking essential.*
Gallery Talk Tuesday 15, 1.15pm ‘Like the wilds of Norway’: Thomas Fearnley and the Lake District Greg Smith, Co-Curator of In Front of Nature
Barber Book Club*/** Tuesday 15, 3.30 – 4.30pm My Uncle Frank by Thomas Bodkin
BARBER YOUTH*/** Tuesday 15, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people
Lunchtime Lecture Wednesday 16, 1.10pm Designing his Masterpiece: Robert Atkinson and the Barber Institute Sophie Rycroft, Collections Intern
ADULT WORKSHOP
Sunday 16, 2.30pm Cityscapes exhibition tour
Saturday 19, 12 – 4pm Drop-in Life Drawing Day with artist Ruth Radcliffe
Gallery TalK
GALLERY Tour
Tuesday 18, 1.15pm Portrait of a Lady (introduction to the exhibition) Robert Wenley, Acting Director
Sunday 19, 2.30pm Cityscapes exhibition tour
Taster Tour Tuesday 22, 1.15pm In Front of Nature: The Dutch Landscape Tradition Robert Wenley, Deputy Director
JANUARY
Lunchtime Lecture
Gallery Talk
Wednesday 23, 1.10pm The Grindelwald Glaciers Professor Michael Hambrey: Aberystwyth University, Climate Change Consortium of Wales (C3W)
Friday 11, 12.30pm The William and Mary Armorial Tapestry (OOM) Jamie Mulherron, Textile Researcher
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Events diary – JANUARY
SPECIAL EVENT*
Gallery Talk
Lunchtime Lecture
Wednesday 23, 6pm In Conversation with Nicola Kalinsky (New Director)
Tuesday 5, 1.15pm Lady Barber’s Costumes Gillian Crumpton and Alison Phillips, The Costume Project: Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust
Wednesday 13, 1.10pm Close to the Heart: British Portrait Miniatures Robert Wenley, Deputy Director
ADULT WORKSHOP*/** Saturday 26, 11am – 4pm Textile Art with artist Jacqueline Lawrence
GALLERY Tour Sunday 27, 2.30pm
Gallery Talk Tuesday 29, 1.15pm Inspired by Lace (introduction to the display) Jacqueline Lawrence, artist
Barber Youth*/** Tuesday 29, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people
Lunchtime Lecture
Lunchtime Lecture
Sunday 10, 2.30pm
Wednesday 13, 7.30pm Jerusalem Quartet
Barber Youth*/** Wednesday 20, 10am – 4pm Workshop for young people
MARCH
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
Tuesday 12 1.15pm New Art West Midlands (introduction to the exhibition) Tamsin Foulkes, Collections Assistant
Thursday 14, 2 – 3pm Understanding Art Part I – Bodies: Inside and Out at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts
Lunchtime Lecture
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
Barber Book Club*/**
Thursday 7, 2 – 3pm Understanding Art Part I – Bodies: Inside and Out at the New Art Gallery, Walsall
Gallery Talk Friday 8, 12.30pm Dominico Beccafumi: Reclining Nymph (POM) Marian Edwards, Gallery Guide
Sunday 10, 2.30pm
Saturday 2, 11.30am – 4.30pm Watercolour Portraiture with artist Paul Bartlett, RBSA
Saturday 9, 11am – 2pm Drawing the Figure from Life
Wednesday 6, 1.10pm The Venetian Carnivale Sophie Bostock, Assistant Curator
Lunchtime Lecture
Barber Evening Concert*/**
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
Tuesday 26, 6.30 – 8.30pm Birmingham’s Gay History David Viney, Birmingham LGBTQ
Barber Evening Concert*/**
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
FEBRUARY
Special Event*
Tuesday 19, 7.30pm (refreshments 6pm) Tapestry and History: Hardwick Hall and Packwood House Helen Wyld, Tapestry Curator, National Trust
Wednesday 30, 1.10pm 17th Century Venetian lace Dr Beth Walsh, Visiting Fellow, School of World Art Studies, University of East Anglia
Wednesday 30, 7.30pm Alina Ibragimova and Cedric Tiberghien
Birmingham Lecture*/**
Saturday 9, 11.30am – 4.30pm Watercolour Portraiture with artist Paul Bartlett, RBSA
Gallery Tour Taster Tour Tuesday 12, 1.15pm Freeze Frame: Calm moments within a drama JiIl Ambler, Gallery Guide
Barber Book Club*/** Tuesday 12, 3.30 – 4.40pm Death in Venice by Thomas Mann
BOOKING
SPECIAL EVENT*/**
Wednesday 20, 1.10pm Lancret: Multiple readings of lovers in a landscape Marie Giraud, MPhil History of Art
Thursday 14, 6.30 – 8.30pm Love Art?
Adult Workshop*/**
ADULT WORKSHOP*/** Saturday 16, 11.30am – 4.30pm Watercolour Portraiture with artist Paul Bartlett, RBSA
Special Event*/**
Thursday 21, 2 – 3pm Understanding Art Part I – Bodies: Inside and Out at Ikon Gallery
SPECIAL EVENT*
Sunday 17, 1 – 3pm Cinematic ‘Grand Tour’ with KINO10
Thursday 21, 6.30 – 8.30pm ‘Gateway to Heaven’: 50 Years of Lesbian and Gay History with Clare Summerskill, actor
Gallery Tour
ADULT WORKSHOP*/**
Sunday 17, 3pm Cityscapes exhibition tour
Saturday 23, 11.30am – 4.30pm Watercolour Portraiture with artist Paul Bartlett, RBSA
Barber Youth*/** Tuesday 19, 10am – 4pm Workshop for young people
Gallery Talk Tuesday 19, 1.15pm Lady Barber’s Lace Jamie Mulherron, Textile Researcher
GALLERY Tour* Sunday 24, 2.30pm BSL gallery tour
Taster Tour Tuesday 26, 1.15pm Architecture in Art Jen Costigan, Gallery Guide
Wednesday 27, 1.10pm Art Deco architecture and design Richenda Roberts, Art Historian
Saturday 2, 11am – 2pm Drawing the Figure from Life
Gallery Talk Tuesday 5, 1.15pm Close to the Heart (introduction to the exhibition) Robert Wenley, Deputy Director
Birmingham Lecture*/** Tuesday 5, 7.30pm (refreshments 6pm) Birmingham Town Hall: England’s First Truly Civic Building Anthony Peers, Deputy Chairman of the Ancient Monuments Society
Lunchtime Lecture Wednesday 6, 1.10pm Bricks Mortar and Blood: The Changing Cityscapes of the French Revolution Tamsin Foulkes, Collections Assistant
Gallery Talk Friday 8, 12.30pm Indian Mogul School: Portrait of a Lady (POM) Sophie Rycroft, Collections Intern
Gallery Tour Gallery Talk
Tuesday 12, 3.30 – 4.30pm Changing Places: A Tale of Two Campuses by David Lodge
Barber Youth*/** Tuesday 12, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people
Lunchtime Lecture Wednesday 13, 1.10pm A View of Florence: The Topography of a Renaissance Republican City Hannah Higham, PhD History of Art
ADULT WORKSHOP*/** Saturday 16, 11am – 2pm Drawing the Figure from Life
Gallery Tour Sunday 17, 2.30pm Cityscapes exhibition tour
Gallery Talk Tuesday 19, 1.15pm The Artist as Chemist: Unusual materials used in Barber paintings Alex Jolly, Learning and Access Assistant
* Booking Essential. For more information or to book a place contact 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk
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** Charges apply.
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MARCH
Birmingham Lecture*/** Tuesday 19, 7.30pm (refreshments 6pm) The Power of Conservation-In-Action Sarah Kay, Curator for Attingham Park, National Trust
Taster Tour
Adult Workshop*/**
Tuesday 9, 1.15pm Images of Christ Pam Turton, Gallery Guide
Saturday 20 About Contemporary Art at Grand Union, Birmingham (see website for details)
Barber Youth*/** Tuesday 9, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people
Gallery Tour Sunday 21, 2.30pm Cityscapes Exhibition Tour
Lunchtime Lecture
Gallery Talk
Wednesday 20, 1.10pm Drawing the City: Line, Map, Anatomy Tess Radcliffe, Learning and Access Officer
Friday 12, 12.30pm Odilon Redon: The Crucifixion (POM) Pam Turton, Gallery Guide
SPECIAL EVENT
Adult Workshop*/**
Tuesday 23, 1.15pm Domestic Interiors of Renaissance Italy Barbara Fogarty, Lead Guide
Barber Evening Concert*/** Wednesday 20, 7.30pm Clipper Erickson and Laurie Altman
ADULT WORKSHOP*/** Saturday 23, 12 – 4pm The Art of Confidence
Gallery Tour Sunday 24, 2.30pm
Taster Tour Tuesday 26, 1.15pm Men in Black: Signorelli, Tintoretto and Flinck John Southall, Gallery Guide
Barber Youth*/** Tuesday 26, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people APRIL
Adult Workshop*/** Saturday 6, 12 – 4pm The Art of Confidence
EVENTS
INFORMATION
Saturday 13, 11am – 2pm Drawing the Figure From Life
Adult Workshop*/**
Monday 22, 10am – 4pm Bonhams Fine Art Valuation Day
Taster Tour
Saturday 13 About Contemporary Art at Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery (see website for details)
Barber Youth*/**
Gallery Tour
Saturday 27 About Contemporary Art at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts (see website for details)
Sunday 14, 2.30pm
Gallery Talk Tuesday 16, 1.15pm Stuart Miniatures Ann Sumner, Director of Birmingham Museums Trust
Barber Book Club*/** Tuesday 16, 3.30 – 4.30pm Peril at End House by Agatha Christie
Adult Workshop*/** Saturday 20, 11am – 2pm Drawing the Figure From Life
Tuesday 23, 4.30 – 6.30pm Workshop for young people
Adult Workshop*/**
Gallery Tour Sunday 28, 2.30pm
Gallery Talk Tuesday 30, 1.15pm Regency Miniatures Tamsin Foulkes, Collections Assistant
BOOKING * Booking Essential. For more information or to book a place contact 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk
OPENING HOURS Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm; Saturday & Sunday 11am – 5pm (Closed 24 – 26 December 2012, 1 January and 29 March 2013)
ADMISSION TO GALLERIES AND ALL EXHIBITIONS IS FREE
GROUP VISITS Group visits are welcome, but if you plan to visit with a group, please call to let us know . Guided tours and refreshments can also be arranged in advance for a small charge. Tours of the collection for Visually Impaired groups are also available. Contact 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk
ACCESS Facilities for disabled visitors include designated parking, level access, wheelchair, lift and WC. Call in advance to make your visit easier. Baby changing facilities are available and the Barber is a breastfeedingfriendly venue throughout.
EDUCATION VISITS Education workshops can be provided for school (supporting KS1-5 and beyond) college or university groups. Contact 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk
SHOP Our shop sells a wide variety of items from pocket money souvenirs for children to high quality designer leather goods. We also offer a range of collection and exhibition-related books, postcards, greetings cards and gifts suitable for all pockets.
FRIENDS OF THE BARBER Let your passion for art and music help support and promote the Barber. A Friend’s subscription entitles you to a range of exciting benefits and events. Please pick up a Let’s Be Friends leaflet in the foyer or contact friends@barber.org.uk
REFRESHMENTS Hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, salads, cakes and confectionery, including a fantastic range of Fairtrade items, are available. Why not make a day of it and visit nearby Winterbourne House and Garden? This delightful, lovingly restored Edwardian family home, with a remarkable Arts & Craftsstyle botanic garden, also has a terrace café serving hot and cold meals and snacks. Entry charges apply.
PATRONS OF THE BARBER Our Patrons support the Barber Institute’s work financially in many areas, while also enjoying exclusive private views, visits and events. Subscription levels are: Benefactors - £200 per year; Director’s Circle £500 per year; 1932 Club - £1,000 a year. If you are interested in becoming a Patron or a Business Patron, please contact 0121 414 2946 or info@barber.org.uk
launches and other functions. The hire can include an exclusive private view and introductory talk from a staff member. We offer a wide range of wines, beers, spirits, soft drinks and nibbles, and can also arrange buffet catering. For more details visit: http://barber.org.uk/ venue-hire/ or contact our Events Officer for enquiries or to make a booking on 0121 414 6985 or events@barber.org.uk.
CULTURE ON CAMPUS Discover some of the other Museums, Galleries and Collections that the University of Birmingham has to offer... Winterbourne House & Garden www.winterbourne.org.uk Cadbury Research Library www.special-coll.bham.ac.uk The Lapworth Museum of Geology www.lapworth.bham.ac.uk Research and Cultural Collections www.rcc.bham.ac.uk
HIRE THE BARBER INSTITUTE The Barber’s stunning galleries, foyer, concert hall and lecture theatre are all available for hire for receptions,
** Charges apply.
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