wolverhampton art gallery Exhibitions & Events March April May 2010 Free entry
Welcome
As we head into 2010, it’s natural to look back upon a decade that has ended with so much uncertainty. The new Pop Gallery exhibition, Pop Protest: Art for an Anxious Age compares the last decade with another turbulent political period, 1965 – 1975, when Pop artists became social commentators. We continue the season of exhibitions showcasing the best in film and video art with Holylands by Seamus Harahan. This is a recent acquisition, funded by the Contemporary Art Society. The film portrays an extraordinary residential area in Belfast, defined by its history of religious divide and social unrest and through its name draws comparison with the situation in the Middle East. This season’s programme is teaming with talks by artists and curators, including an opportunity to tour The Northern Ireland Collection: Fresh Perspectives in May, before it is replaced in June by a 6 month touring exhibition.
Finally, we will be celebrating International Women’s Week (8 – 14 March) with a talk looking at how traditional ‘feminine’ skills such as sewing have crossed the conceptual barrier to be used in fine art practice. There will be a chance to try your hand at knitting, and a last chance to see the exhibition POP: Jann Haworth, which has brought the work of one of Pop’s underrepresented women artists to public attention. We hope you enjoy the new season, and that you will discover an event or exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery that will spark your creativity in 2010. Corinne Miller Head of Arts and Museums
Cover image: Rose’s Halo (detail) by Aether & Hemera © the artists
Pop Jann Haworth Until 10 Apr 2010 Hollywood-born artist Jann Haworth (b. 1942) is among the few women associated with the Pop Art movement of the 1960s. Her sewn cloth soft sculptures refer to typically American Pop themes such as fast food, film stars, cheerleaders, cowboys and comics, as well as to her experiences of living in England during a period of cultural transformation. Developed in partnership with the artist, this exhibition is the first UK solo show of Haworth’s work in a public gallery since 1972.
Events The Power of the Stitch Sat 13 Mar 2 – 4pm To celebrate International Women’s Week, this talk will look at traditional feminine crafts crossing the barrier into the masculine world of fine art followed by demonstrations and a chance to learn a new skill. All skill levels welcomed. Stitches & Hos at Wolverhampton Art Gallery Wed 31 Mar 6 – 9pm Stitches and Hos are a motley crew of enthusiasts for all things knitted, crocheted and stitched who will be bringing their monthly knitting night to the gallery for a one-off special. Dj’s will be playing music throughout the evening and a pay bar will be available. Image: Pop Jann Haworth installation © Lee Allen
Balnakiel by Shona Illingworth Until 1 May A mesmerizing journey into sight, sound and memory. Shona Illingworth’s newly commissioned film offers a vivid portrait of Balnakiel, a remarkable location, at the furthermost edge of Britain. Exposed to extremes of weather, geology and the disturbing omnipresence of the RAF and Royal Navy, who use this area of Scottish land as a bombing range, the brooding, melancholic landscape has a significant emotional and psychological impact on its residents.
The artist explores the social context of this land through photography, film and recorded narrative. Herself an ex-resident, Shona’s investigative processes come from both a personal perspective and a more objectiv e conceptual approach, shaped in part by exchanges with cognitive neuro-psychologist Martin Conway, whose work draws attention to the strategies memory employs to attempt to either articulate or suppress strong undercurrents of experience when a sense of self and community identity is under threat.
Events Curator Tour – Kate Pryor-Williams Sat 27 Mar 2pm Join the curator of Balnakiel by Shona Illingworth for a tour of the exhibition and a chance to find out more about the work and the themes around it. Highland Connections Sat 3 April 2pm - 3pm Join Art Interpreter Keith Oram for a talk linking The Highland Laddies’ Return and Sunday in the Backwoods to Shona Illingworth’s exhibition Balnakiel. It will draw on Scottish history and the social implications of the Highland Clearances.
Balnakiel is commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella in association with John Hansard Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Funded by the Wellcome Trust with support from The Highland Legacy Trust and Danish Embassy. Still from Balnakiel by Shona Illingworth © the artist
Memory Sat 24 Apr 11am – 2pm Painter and Art Interpreter Dean Melbourne will lead you in a creative session exploring the themes of Shona Illingworth’s Balnakiel exhibition. Contrasting social and personal memory, this workshop will use photographs as a source to create challenging drawings and painting. £10 per person, booking is essential. Please call 01902 550060.
Holylands by Seamus Harahan 20 Mar - 3 Jul This exhibition presents our latest acquisition, acquired thorough the Contemporary Art Society. By Belfast based artist and filmmaker Seamus Harahan, Holylands was shot through the artist’s window on the streets of Belfast and directly references the names of his neighbourhoods streets Jerusalem Street, Palestine Street, Damascus Street, Carmel Street and Cairo Street. The film depicts people going about their everyday lives where a bag lady rummages in a bin, young boys play with a water pipe, and a delivery van unloads outside a shop. It is an ordinary snapshot of an extraordinary area, defined by its history of religious divide and social unrest.
Event Seamus Harahan in Conversation Wed 17 Jul 3.30 – 4.30pm Join Seamus Harahan as he speaks about Holylands. Followed by drinks recepti on and live music by Gallagher Brothers. Free, drop in.
The Northern Ireland Collection: Fresh Perspectives This exhibition considers the role of visual artists in representing Northern Ireland’s contested past and future. Highlights from Wolverhampton’s Northern Ireland Collection are shown alongside borrowed works from national and artist collections.
Seamus Harahan, Holylands, 2004, single channel video installation, colour with sound, 32.30 mins. Purchased through the Contemporary Art Society's Acquisition Scheme 2009.
Events Visions of Northern Ireland Wed 22 Apr Join art interpreter Adrian Clamp for this talk and discover how artists have responded to the sensitive issues of Northern Ireland. Evening tour of Northern Ireland Collection Wed 19 May 5.30pm – 6.30pm An informal tour of the Northern Ireland Collection before the installation of a new 6 month temporary exhibition in June.
Pop Protest: Art for an Anxious Age 1 May - 30 Oct Drawing on the gallery’s extensive collection of Pop Art and artist collections, Pop Protest compares two periods in our recent history: 1965-1975 and 2000-2010, exploring what made these years so fragile and turbulent for us. In both periods Pop artists have acted as social commentators, demonstrating the impact of war and politics on society- whether it be in 1970s Vietnam or modern day Iraq. The exhibition includes Gerald Laing’s War Paintings, Derek Boshier’s Pantomime War works, and Jann Haworth’s Hollow Men piece from the noughties, while artworks by Richard Hamilton, Colin Self, Joe Tilson, and James Rosenquist cast a critical lens on the sixties and seventies. Objects and ephemera highlight the political events that inspired the artists and which shaped the social anxiety that defines each of the periods.
Event Art Speaking – Pop Protest Sat 15 May 1pm – 2pm As part of our audio describing season Dean Melbourne will explore a key piece in the Pop Protest exhibition.
Boston Massacre by Larry Rivers © Estate of Larry Rivers/ DACS, London/VAGA, New York 2010.
Queen 2003 © Donald Locke
Pork Knocker Dreams- Recent work by Donald Locke Until 29 May 2010 Donald Locke has lived, studied and worked in Guyana, Britain and the USA, moving backwards and forwards across the Atlantic for a number of years. In Guyana, during the 1960’s, he was a key part of the creative elite who shaped art after Independence, using the language of modernism allied with traditional motifs to help mould a new International Style. His artwork explores elements of modernism and folk art and his distinctive sculptures fuse the influences of Western, Caribbean and Southern American culture. Pork Knocker dreams is Donald Locke’s first UK solo show since the 1970s. The exhibition has been curated by Indra Khanna and produced in partnership with The New Art Exchange.
Gift
Victorian Gallery
This display showcases some of the many art works that The Friends of Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service has helped us to acquire, through their fundraising activities, over the years. 2009 is their 30th anniversary and visitors will be able to discover more about the work of the Friends group and find out how to get involved.
Discover Wolverhampton’s collection of Victorian decorative objects and artworks in a new permanent exhibition. The two-room display explores the fascinating world of the Victorians, including their passion for eastern influenced design.
Event Art Speaking – Gift Sat 20 Mar 1pm – 2pm Art Interpreter Keith Oram will deliver an Audio Described session in our Gift exhibition allowing those with a visual impairment to experience these fascinating works.
Event Art Speaking – Victorian Gallery Sat 17 Apr 1pm – 2pm Allowing those with a visual impairment to experience this exhibition, Art Interpreter Janet Crook will deliver an Audio Described talk in the Victorian Gallery.
Stills from Margret/I’m not Here © Vane and Dodda Maggy
Shift Life 30 Jan - 26 Mar This interactive digital projection provides visitors with a chance to explore a virtual world made of biological life forms. By playing with the objects around a large wooden box, you are able to alter the living environment for the digital creatures. This is a fun and interactive show for everyone to experiment and engage with, where the stability of the virtual world rests in your hands.
Hire Space
Dodda Maggy 3 Apr - 29 May Icelandic artist, Dodda Maggy explores the role of women in films, recreating and exaggerating women’s traits and stereotypes on screen. In the film Margret, the character spins around, spiralling out of control whilst raising her hands before she falls overunable to keep her balance without appearing confused or disorientated. The film I’m not Here shows a woman in a leotard fading in and out of sight in a domestic setting, the artist here is challenging the representation of women in film and the conclusions viewers make from women’s behaviour, appearance and surroundings.
Days Like These by Andrew Christopher Until 13 Mar Paintings from Andrew Christopher’s Days Like These exhibition capture the fragile moments of everyday life. A figure sits motionless high up in a tree surveying the world that surrounds him, whilst shadows bustle and birds dance across the starlit sky. Shining Stars 20 Mar - 17 Apr Shining stars will highlight the achievements of Wolverhampton people from schools and community groups in partnership with the Education and Outreach team at Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service. Object, Sound and Image by George Clark-Roden 24 Apr – 22 May This exhibition focuses on the tensions between perception, form and sound. The artist’s approach involves the development of material and sonic encounters with the public, creating a dialogue between the art and the participant.
Stories 15 May - 28 Aug Enter a magical world of storytelling and discover work inspired by childhood memories, fictional stories and fairy tales. Through paintings, drawings, sculptures and art installations, the gallery space will be transformed into an enchanted, playful and mysterious land. Look out for a few surprises dotted about the gallery. Spend some time in our resource area reading a range of interesting and delightful books available. Rose’s Halo by Aether & Hemera © the artists
Family events Big Stuff Wed 7 Apr, Fri 9 Apr 11am – 1pm Go poptastic and make oversized everyday objects inspired by the Jann Haworth exhibition. £2 per child. Art 4 Kids Sat 6 Mar, Sat 3 Apr Sat 1 May 11am – 1pm Get creative and come along to our free monthly club for budding young artists. Aged 11 and under. Family Focus Sat 8 May 11am – 12pm and 1pm-2pm Bring along your grown-ups and explore our collection in a hands-on workshop. Free, booking advised, please call 01902 550060.
Artforum Artforum is the Gallery’s group for young people (14-25). Contact Jen Dooner at the Gallery or check out www.myspace.com/wagartforum. All sessions are free and drop in. Jann Haworth animation workshop Wed 3 Mar 4.30pm - 6.30pm Follow up from last session with more animation; finish your work from last time or make something new! Jann Haworth workshop Wed 17 Mar 4.30pm - 6.30pm Explore the techniques and ideas in Jann Haworth’s textile work and get creative in this workshop exploring fabric portraits. Add your piece to our wall hanging which will be exhibited in the gallery later this year. Behind the scenes Wed 21 Apr 4.30pm - 6.30pm Take a look behind the scenes with our collections officer. Learn how we care for works of art and get the chance to explore pieces closeup. Pop Protest Part 1: Wed 5 May 4.30 - 6.30 Part 2: Wed 19 May 4.30 - 6.30 Get to grips with this challenging new exhibition which explores protest and social commentary in pop art. Take inspiration from the show and explore the ideas and techniques used in Pop Protest in this creative workshop. Image: Pop Jann Haworth installation © Lee Allen
Pop Protest band night Thu 6 May 5pm - 8pm Our band night will showcase a selection of the best local unsigned bands... plus there'll be arty activities, badgemaking and our brand new Pop Protest exhibition. Free drinks and snacks.
Visit Us Wolverhampton Art Gallery Lichfield Street Wolverhampton WV1 1DU Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm, Free Entry The Gallery will be closed for Bank Holidays: 2 April, 5 April, 6 April, 3 May, 31 May Tel: 01902 552055 fax: 01902 552053 artgallery@wolverhampton.gov.uk www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk 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 Gallery assistants are happy to answer your questions. Each exhibition also has extra information in a variety of ways to help you get the most from your visit. Travel The Gallery is 5 minutes walk from rail, metro and bus stations. The nearest car park is the Civic Centre (entrance in Wulfruna Street), just two minutes from the Gallery. By car follow the signs for Wolverhampton from the M5, M6 & M54. The Art Gallery is clearly signposted in the city centre. The nearest car parks are the Civic Centre or Broad Street. 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, including a range of speciality loose-leaf teas and fantastic fresh coffees to accompany the famous cake selection. 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 www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk. Venue Hire The perfect city centre venue for a special event, conference or meeting, from as little as £60. For further information, call 01902 552055 or email marketing@wolverhamptonart.org.uk Resource Centre Find out more about pictures and objects from Wolverhampton's collections in the new Resource Centre. Contact the Gallery to make an appointment or to find out more. Visit www.wolverhamptoncity.co.uk for your ultimate guide to visiting the city.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery is grateful to the following for their funding and support: