National Museum Cardiff.
Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales – is set to become a ‘National Gallery of Art for Wales’ after the Keeper of Art, Oliver Fairclough, announced plans to uncover more of the Museum’s contemporary art collection, which is largely unseen.
Improved art displays, additional space and radical changes to the way in which works are shown, all form part of the Museum’s drive to enhance the presentation of its art collection.
Until recently, only one room was available for the display of art since 1950 at National Museum Cardiff, so much of the west wing will now be transformed into a suite of high quality flexible galleries, with six times more space for art post-1950, at a cost of over £4 million.
The full range of the museum’s art collection will be shown as an integrated display by summer 2011.
“We’re very excited about the future of art in Wales,” said Oliver Fairclough, Keeper of Art. “Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales hosts 500 years of magnificent paintings, drawings, sculpture, silver and ceramics from Wales and across the world including one of Europe’s best collections of Impressionist works.”
“These new developments give us the opportunity not only to share more of our treasures with visitors, but also to share them with an increased number of people.”
The Museum has £450,000 of the overall total left to complete the initiative for art in Wales, and is concentrating on what the public wants: presenting both popular and unfamiliar works in fresh ways, exploring new ideas and expanding displays.
© The Estate of Michael Andrews. Courtesy of James Hyman Gallery London and The Derek Williams Trust.
(Above) The Cathedral, The Southern Faces, Uluru by Michael Andrews.
“We are currently focusing on re-displaying what we already have within the existing, yet restored structure,” added Oliver Fairclough, “the next step will be to create further space for applied art, educational facilities, temporary exhibitions and much more, ultimately establishing a ‘National Gallery of Art for Wales.”
The Art Fund has graciously lent a hand to the Museum in the form of a £100,000 grant put towards the acquisition of three works, which will form part of the opening display.
A video installation entitled The Hour of Prayer by Finnish artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Raethro Pink by the American James Turrell – an installation that uses light and space – and Betty Woodman’s Diptych: The Balcony will be among the key features of the Museum.
“Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales is a great institution and their plans to re-display their extensive post-1950 art collection will make it an even bigger draw,” explained Director of the Art Fund David Barrie.
“I’m delighted The Art Fund has helped Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales acquire three new works by distinguished international artists Eija-Liisa Ahtila, James Turrell and Betty Woodman to add to their already impressive British contemporary art collection.”
Study for Self Portrait by Francis Bacon. © The Estate of Francis Bacon. All Rights Reserved DACS 2008.
“The Art Fund has been a longstanding supporter of the museum – in the last ten years alone, we have given the museum over £1.2 million to help them acquire artworks by eminent artist such as Alfred Sisley, David Hockney and Sir Joshua Reynolds.”
Two galleries are to open in December 2008 at National Museum Cardiff which will complete the redisplay of the older ‘fine and applied art’ collections from the Renaissance to the 19th century in the east wing of the building.
Welsh Faces will look at representations of Welsh people from many walks of life over the last 200 years and Victorian Art will explore the rich variety of the British art world between the 1830s and 1880s.
During the transitional period (2009 – 2011) selected galleries of National Museum Wales’ seven national galleries, will remain open, hosting temporary exhibitions.
Further information can be found at the National Museums Wales’ website www.museumwales.ac.uk/
