wolverhampton art gallery Exhibitions & Events December 2010 - February 2011
Free Entry
Welcome
2011, what will it bring? For many the forthcoming year will be tough, so we hope that our exciting, creative and engaging artistic programme will offer a release from day to day worries. There is much to celebrate in Wolverhampton both historically and today. Our new permanent display, funded by the Designated Challenge Fund, looks back at the history of Wolverhampton’s Art School; situated in the Art Gallery building before relocation to the School of Art & Design in 1969. This show allows us to reflect on the influence teachers such as Sir Charles Wheeler had on the course of art history of Britain. We shall be lending works by Wheeler to a survey exhibition at the Royal Academy that will reassess modern British sculpture in January. It is our collections which allow us to share with you some interesting stories. Wolverhampton born author and Times columnist Sathnam Sanghera was invited to make a selection from the collections of the Black Country museums and has chosen to focus on life in the 1960s in a new show, The Bostin’ Sixties, due to open in February. He claims the decade as a time of radical reform which changed the urban landscape with extensive demolition and bold, modernist new developments and which focused international attention on the sub region as a result of mass immigration. As we celebrate, our past achievements, where we’ve come from and where we’re going - 2011 has all the makings of a great year. Corinne Miller Head of Arts and Heritage
Our Supporters Wolverhampton Art Gallery is grateful to the following for their funding and support:
Cover image: Angel by Mary Gibson (1925) © Wolverhampton Arts & Heritage
Special Exhibitions
The Dismayed Artist by Frederick Daniel Hardy © Wolverhampton Arts & Heritage
The Cranbrook Colony: Fresh Perspectives 4 Dec – 26 Feb A stunning display of exquisitely painted scenes of Victorian life as captured by the Cranbrook painters, a group based in the picturesque village of Cranbrook in Kent. Their work was avidly collected by the wealthy industrialists of the 19th century including Wolverhampton manufacturer Sidney Cartwright. The display includes paintings by FD Hardy, George Hardy, Thomas Webster, GB O’Neill, JC Horsley and AE Mulready, and looks at the cultural and social contexts of their production. Works from Wolverhampton’s own collection are displayed alongside loans from Tate, the V&A and the National Portrait Gallery.
Events The Cranbrook Colony Exhibition Tour Wed 8 Dec 5.30pm – 6pm Experience the lives of the Cranbrook artists by joining curator Marguerite Nugent for an evening tour of the exhibition highlights followed by a drinks reception. Women and Children Talk Fri 14 Jan 2pm – 3pm Explore how women and children were portrayed in the works of the 19th century Cranbrook Colony artists. Still Life Sketching Workshop Thur 10 Feb 2pm – 3.30pm Discover what inspired the Cranbrook artists, and use their work for developing your own sketching techniques. Cost: £5, including sketch book. Booking required.
Pop Art Gallery
Events Film POP Exhibition Tour Sat 4 Dec 2.30 – 3pm Join us for a tour exploring glamour, excitement and adventure in the latest Pop exhibition. Celebrity Icons Workshop Mon 21 Feb 11am – 1pm Using Film POP as inspiration, try out printmaking and collage to make your own response to today’s celebrity culture. Adult event. Cost: £5, booking required.
B.A.S.H. 1971. Eduardo Paolozzi. © Trustees of the Paolozzi Foundation, Licensed by DACS 2010
Film POP 20 Nov – 7 May Film POP reveals how Pop artists took film, its characters, themes and iconography as reference material for their art. The exhibition features a selection of works on sci-fi, horror, murder mystery and western themes. We highlight Pop’s fascination with contemporary sex symbols and icons and reveal how artists found inspiration in cinema premises, studio workshops and the glitzy identity of Hollywood. Includes work by Peter Blake, Richard Hamilton, Jann Haworth, Colin Self, Jim Dine, Nicholas Monro, Andy Warhol and Gerald Laing.
The Contemporary Collection
Journey into the Contemporary Collection David Burrows Until 15 Dec Take this last chance to see Snowy Landscape with Wreckage (2002), a colourful installation by awardwinning artist David Burrows. Snowy Landscape with Wreckage (installation view, detail) by David Burrows
Journey into the Contemporary Collection – Part 2 29 Dec – 5 Feb Voyage into our contemporary collection with a group of works on the subject of travel, journeys and discovery. View road trip-inspired pieces by artists Lisa Milroy and Jeremy Deller, as well as works recording the travelling community by internationally renowned British photographer, Tom Hunter. This exhibition completes a two-part display of remarkable works in our contemporary collection.
Image: William Elliot Whitmore, Live at Melancholy Ranch (2004) by Jeremy Deller, installation view. Image courtesy Paul Stolper.
Event Journey into... Exhibition Tour Sat 29 Jan 2pm – 2.30pm Join curator Zoë Lippett for a walk-around tour of the exhibition and gain an insight into the approaches used by the artists.
Exhibitions
Under Gods: Stories from Soho Road by Liz Hingley Until 26 Feb The colourful world of Soho Road in Birmingham is presented by Liz Hingley, who grew up in this city where over 90 different nationalities now live. The collection of photographs intimately documents different communities who use the 30 religious buildings along the road. Her beautifully poignant and thought provoking images celebrate the rich cultural diversities and religious practices, and speak about wider issues in contemporary urban experience.
Building the Gudwara by Liz Hingley © the artist
Pure Cinema 4 Dec – 12 Feb Pure Cinema is an intervention in the Georgian Gallery by Ravi Deepres and Michael BaigClifford, filmed in response to classical works in our collection. The film was shot in high definition combined with technology believed to be over five hundred years old, including camera obscura.
Still from Pure Cinema © the artists
The film takes the notion that a classical painting is a chosen point in a narrative. It examines what happens before, as well as the still moment itself. Co-commissioned by Rugby Art Gallery and Museum and Fracture Dance and Moving Image Programme.
Hire Space Exhibitions Faith Stories
The Fifth Corner by Walid Elmahdy
Until 18 Dec Artwork produced by young people from Whitmore Reans looking at the diversity of faith groups in Wolverhampton. The young people participated in a week long project with photographer Liz Hingley to capture images that represent their religion.
8 Jan – 5 Feb Using mostly acrylic on canvas, the artist goes for a journey through the consciousness, discovering more about the roots of emotions, personal experiences and perception of the real world.
The Northern Ireland Collection
Police, Belfast (1994) by Victor Sloan © the artist
Portrait of the North 18 Dec – 30 Apr In 2008 Wolverhampton Art Gallery and The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, were awarded £199,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to expand their collections around the themes of conflict, peace and reconciliation, developing our existing collections of artworks dealing with the political situation in Northern Ireland. This exhibition presents a selection of artworks acquired through the Collecting Cultures scheme and includes work by Sean Hillen, Paul Seawright, Victor Sloan and David Gepp.
Permanent exhibitions
(Left) Wolverhampton Municipal School of Art, Wulfruna Street (Above) Foundation Stone 1885
Traced Art & Design in Wolverhampton 1850-1970 Opens Sat 15 Jan This new permanent exhibition traces the success of art and design in Wolverhampton and brings together works by local artists from our collection. The School of Art, established in 1851, was a hub of artistic activity during this period and its influential role is shown through artwork from teachers and students, personal memories and associated ephemera. Includes works by key local artists such as RJ Emerson, the sculptors Sir Charles Wheeler, William Sidney Causer, Edwin Butler Bayliss, and iconic photographs of old Wolverhampton.
Event Traced Exhibition Tour Sat 15 Jan 2.30pm – 3pm Join Black Country Collections Curator Jessica Bromley for a tour and insight into this new permanent display. Exploration of RJ Emerson Sketch books Fri 11 Feb 2-3pm We open up the Emerson’s sketch books for you to marvel at his figurative drawings and designs for his sculpture work. Self Portrait by Sir Charles Wheeler Image reproduced courtesy of Miss C R Wheeler
Victorian Pattern Book Š Wolverhampton Arts & Heritage
Victorian Gallery
Georgian Gallery
Discover Wolverhampton’s collection of Victorian decorative objects and artworks in a permanent exhibition. The two-room display explores the fascinating world of the Victorians, including their passion for Eastern influenced design.
Look at the beautiful paintings, step back in time by trying on costumes and explore the furniture of the day for some more surprises.
Events
Booking: 01902 552055 Events are free and drop in, unless stated otherwise Art Speaking
Family Fun
Audio described tours of exhibitions for people with visual impairment.
For information on more family workshops and activity sessions please pick up our family friendly leaflet or go to our website: www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk
Tea & Talk Join us in the café for a look at some of the fascinating objects in our collection. Refreshments to be purchased separately.
Local History Talks A series of captivating talks hosted by local historians.
Thur 2 Dec
Tea & Talk: Steel Jewellery
Sat 4 Dec Wed 8 Dec
Events for Young People (14-25) Artforum is the Gallery’s group for young people (14-25). Contact Jen Dooner at the Gallery or check out tinyurl.com/wagartforum to see the upcoming programme.
3pm – 3.30pm
Talk
Film POP: Exhibition Tour
2.30 – 3pm
Tour
The Cranbrook Colony: Exhibition Tour
5.30pm – 6pm
Tour
Fri 17 Dec
Local History: A Victorian Christmas
2pm – 3pm
Talk
Sat 18 Dec
Art Speaking: The Cranbrook Colony
1pm – 2pm
Tour
Thur 6 Jan
Tea & Talk: Roman Lamps
3pm – 3.30pm
Talk
Fri 14 Jan
The Cranbrook Colony: Women and Children
2pm – 3pm
Talk
Sat 15 Jan
Art Speaking: Film Pop
1pm – 2pm
Tour
Sat 15 Jan
Traced: Exhibition Tour
2.30 – 3pm
Tour
Thur 20 Jan
Show & Tell: Acoustic and Spoken Word Night
5pm – 8.30pm
Live Music
Fri 21 Jan
Local History: Photography & Wolverhampton
2pm – 3pm
Tour
Sat 29 Jan
Journey into... Exhibition Tour
2pm – 2.30pm
Talk
Thur 3 Feb
Tea & Talk: Locks and Keys
3pm – 3.30pm
Talk
Thur 10 Feb
Still Life Sketching Workshop, £5
2pm – 3.30pm
Workshop
Fri 18 Feb
Local History: On Our Doorstep
2pm – 3pm
Talk
Sat 19 Feb
Art Speaking: Buried Ghost
1pm – 2pm
Talk
Mon 21 Feb
Film Pop: Celebrity Icons Workshop, £5
11am – 1pm
Workshop
Tue 22 Feb
Artforum - Young People: Film Pop Paste-up
12pm – 3pm
14-25 yrs
Wed 23 Feb
Artforum - Young People: Artforum Shorts
5pm – 7pm
14-25 yrs
Thur 24 Feb
Artforum - Young People: Wear it POP!
12pm – 3pm
14-25 yrs
News
Photo © Paul Ward
New works for the collection Drumcree #1 (2000) by Phil Collins Cage II, Belfast (1997) by Paul Seawright Police, Belfast (1994) by Victor Sloan Waving Flags, Tandragee (from the series Drumming) (1986) by Victor Sloan Four Ideas for a New Town #1 (1987) by Sean Hillen Four Ideas for a New Town #8 by (1987) Sean Hillen These photographs and collages have been purchased for the Gallery’s Northern Ireland Collection through the Heritage Lottery Fund Collecting Cultures scheme.
Arts & Business
Artist Rooms Tour 2011
Wolverhampton’s Art at the Centre festival, run in partnership with PropInvest, the Mander Centre management company, has scooped the prestigious Arts & Business community award. The two-week festival was held in October 2009 in venues across the city.
We will be exhibiting Ed Ruscha’s The Music from the Balconies 1984, never before been seen in the UK outside London, as part of the Ed Ruscha Artist Rooms exhibition.
National Training Award
Wolverhampton Art Gallery and The Hepworth Wakefield have been presented with an award of £60,000 to commission artist Luke Fowler to make a new work that will be acquired jointly for their collections. In partnership with Film and Video Umbrella.
The service has been awarded the West Midlands Training award for the Museum Leadership programme, in partnership with colleagues in the West Midlands Renaissance Hub.
Contemporary Art Society Commission to Collect
Visit Us
Wolverhampton Art Gallery Lichfield Street Wolverhampton WV1 1DU Tel: 01902 552055 fax: 01902 552053 artgallery@wolverhampton.gov.uk Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm, Free Entry We are closed for the following days over Christmas and New Year: Fri 24, Sat 25, Mon 27 & Tue 28 Dec Fri 31 Dec (Open until 3pm) Sat 1 & Mon 3 Jan Find us online: www.wolverhampton.gov.uk Facebook: facebook.com/WolverhamptonArtGallery Twitter: twitter.com/WolvArtGallery Travel The Gallery is 5 minutes walk from rail, metro and bus stations. The nearest car park is the Civic Centre just two minutes away. By car follow the signs from the M5, M6 & M54. Access Blue badge holders may use the parking bays on Wulfruna Street, just a few metres from the ramped entrance in St. Peter's Passage. Two lifts serve the upper floors of the gallery. Limited seating is available on the lower floor of the Cafe. To reserve a seat please call 01902 552055. Information Point The Information Point at Wolverhampton Art Gallery provides a wide range of information about what’s on and what there is to do in the city. Shop A treasure trove of souvenirs, original crafts, cards and jewellery, for all tastes and budgets.
Café Relax in the laid-back setting of the Café with its delicious menu, range of speciality loose-leaf teas and fresh coffees. Friends of Wolverhampton Arts & Museums Become a Friend and help buy works of art for the collections as well as enjoying special events and trips. Pick up a form at the Gallery or print a copy from our website. Weddings The Rococo Room at the Molineux Hotel, now the City Archives, is licensed for weddings (capacity 70). For further information call 01902 552450. Venue Hire Wolverhampton Art Gallery is perfect city centre venue for a special event, conference or meeting, from as little as £60.
Visit www.wolverhamptoncity.co.uk for your ultimate guide to visiting the city.