News

Museum Moves 15 – 21 September 2023

The weekly feature rounds up the latest updates in museum appointments, openings, funding and new exhibitions from across the UK.

Museum Moves is supported by D J Willrich Ltd

D J Willrich Ltd (DJW) have nearly 40 years’ experience in helping Museums, Theme Parks, FEC’s and Visitor Centres tell their story using appropriate Technology. Based in the New Forest, on the South coast of England, and having started from the Audio-Visual Department at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, we have now developed our portfolio and are internationally recognised.

Appointments

The Green Howards Trust, which operates The Green Howards Museum in North Yorkshire, has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer. Emma Woods is a specialist in antique silver, and has worked as a consultant inventorying both private and public collections, having previously catalogued the silver and decorative arts for the Royal Collection.

https://museumsandheritage.com/news/trustees-of-green-howards-museum-appoint-ceo-after-reshuffle/

Openings

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, which is to be housed in restored derelict heritage site New River Head, has moved back plans for opening. Formerly based in Camden and called House of Illustration, the new site is now expected to open in Clerkenwell, London in 2025.

Exhibitions

The Holburne Museum in Bath has announced its presentation of the major exhibition, Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris, in partnership with Pallant House Gallery, the first retrospective of the artist Gwen John in 20 years. While the works were presented chronologically at Pallant House, the Holburne exhibition will also focus on the “intense intimacy” of the artist’s late work, displaying major paintings and a number of her small works on paper, mostly from private collections. Runs 21 October 2023 – 14 April 2024.

A new immersive light show is launching at the Tower of London later this year, telling the story of , the Crown Jewels. Created by Historic Royal Palaces in partnership with Luxmuralis, an artistic collaboration between artist Peter Walker and composer David Harper ‘Crown and Coronation’ will have a nine-day run at the fortress before a UK wide tour.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has announced a new exhibition telling the story of the HMS Challenger Expedition, which took place 150 years ago. ‘The Worlds Beneath the Wave’s exhibition features the voices of the men and women at the forefront of marine biology, and provides opportunities to explore scientific ideas through interactive exhibits, the famous Boaty McBoatface, and a chance to create an AI-generated sea creature.

The Flying Scotsman, dubbed the world’s most famous locomotive, will be displayed at the National Railway Museum this October half term as part of its centenary celebrations. On static display on the turntable in the museum’s Great Hall, visitors will be able to see the locomotive with a 360-degree view. The display is accompanied by a multisensory Flying Scotsman VR experience. The centenary exhibition Flying Scotsman: 100 Years, 100 Voices will also be on display in the museum’s North Shed. On display 21 October – 5 November 2023.

A major new site-specific work by Chris Ofili has been unveiled at Tate Britain. Spanning three walls in a stairwell, the large mural ‘Requiem’ pays tribute to fellow artist Khadija Saye and remembers the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire. Tate said it “offers a poetic reflection on loss, spirituality and transformation”.

The John Moores Painting Prize 2023 exhibition has opened at the Walker Art Gallery, following the announcement of this year’s John Moores Painting Prize winner, Graham Crowley. The artist took home £25,000 after winning the first prize with his work, Light Industry. The exhibition runs until 25 February 2024.

Gagosian has announced a presentation of early works by Christo from the 1960s and 70s at a Grade II-listed Georgian town house in Spitalfields, London. Curated by Elena Geuna, the exhibition is the inaugural project in the Gagosian Open series of off-site projects and will remain open every day from October 6 to 22.

Funding

The first recipient of a new £250,000 fund from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has been announced. ‘Beyond the Visual: Blindness and Expanded Sculpture’ will include research to enhance blind people’s experience of art in museums, taking place at the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds from October 2024 until March 2025 and followed by an exhibition.

https://museumsandheritage.com/news/research-into-blind-peoples-experience-of-art-backed-by-new-ahrc-fund/