Artists’ Illustrated Talks give an insight into the new Shrewsbury museum and art gallery

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery embarks upon an exciting and illuminating series of Artists’ Illustrated Talks at the Old Market Hall in Shrewsbury this Autumn. 

Starting from September2012 through to July 2013, the inspiring talks and presentations will provide a lively, entertaining and thought-provoking series of events in the build-up towards the opening of the new Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery in 2013. 

Shropshire law firm FBC Manby Bowdler LLP is to become a major sponsor of Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery.

Organised by Shropshire Council’s Museum Service, the aim of this series is to inform and inspire new audiences, by providing a glimpse of the exciting work being done with the museums collections.  

Working with contemporary artists is integral to the vision for the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery to inspire our visitors with new and different ways of thinking about our historic collections.  As well as stimulating debate and creating support for the new museum, Artists’ Illustrated Talks pushes the boundaries of how we see and interpret Shropshire through creative, innovative and exciting new ways. 

Niall Blackie, Senior Partner at FBC Manby Bowdler, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery’s inaugural lecture programme which should provide a lively, accessible, entertaining and thought-provoking series of warm-ups during the lead-in to the opening of the new Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery.” 

Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for tourism and culture, said: 

“Bringing together the work of contemporary artists alongside historic museum collections will help make the new Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery a unique and exciting place to visit.  Not only a fantastic new venue for local audiences, this way of working will attract audiences from all over the UK and abroad to visit Shrewsbury and Shropshire. 

“We are delighted that FBC Manby Bowdler have supported the development of our new museum.  It is a fantastic endorsement of this exciting new approach to our heritage and cultural offer which will put Shrewsbury and Shropshire on the map, attracting many new visitors into the area and boosting our visitor economy.  I would encourage anyone with even the slightest  interest in art, history or our local heritage to come along to these inspiring talks.”     

You don’t have to be an expert in art or history to attend these events.  The inspiring series of talks are for anyone with an interest in history, heritage, creativity, culture, contemporary art and the new ideas that connect them. 

The programme of talks will start from 10am to 11.30am at the Old Market Hall and include:  

2012

Thurs 27 Sep     Artists, museums & history – new ways of curating  – A whistle-stop tour of modern art from 1900–1960 by Gill Nicol of www.lightsgoingon.com whose mission is to make contemporary art more accessible.  Followed by a selected history of how artists have created new ways of engaging with museum collections and archives during this period.  

Thurs 25 Oct      Understanding contemporary art – of the here and now – presented by Gill Nicol and Adrian Plant – Looking at the sometimes radical art produced from 1960s to the present day and its impact on museums.  Followed by an introduction to why contemporary artists are integral to the vision for the new Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. 

Thurs 29 Nov      Divided Labour – The unsung crafts of ceramic industrialisation  

Presented by international ceramicist, Neil Brownsword – Neil talks about his role in developing the new displays of the museum’s Ceramics collections, his new ceramic artworks and his commisioning of film maker Johnny Magee to create an audio-visual installation exploring the often unseen histories of the people and processes of the ceramics industry. 

2013

Thurs 31 Jan       The Darwins’ Thinking Path – presented by international artist 

Shirley Chubb and John Hughes,  Director, ShropshireWildlife Trust

Shirley Chubb talks about her work on the life and legacy of Charles Darwin and the new artwork she is making for the museum inspired by the ‘thinking path’ within the grounds of The Mount, Darwin’s birthplace.  Shirley will be joined by John Hughes who has led on a campaign to restore the site as a place for the public to visit. 

Thurs 28 Mar  Intimate Geology  – presented by international artist Ilana Halperin

Ilana Halperin will talk about her work developing the new displays of the museum’s geology collections, and her commissioning of award-winning animation artist Iain Gardner to visualise the story of Shropshire’s ‘600 million year great geological journey’. 

Thurs 25 Apr      The Now and the Here   – Jon Thomson and Alison Craighead

International artists Jon Thomson and Ali Craighead talk about the making of their new installation for the museum.  Discover how they have approached their special commission for the new museum. 

Thurs 30 May      Artists & Scientists working together in a post-modern world

Carolyn Black,  ExLab Project Manager

A major theme for the new Shrewsbury Musuem and Art Gallery is the relationship between artists and scientists.  Ex Lab is a ‘living laboratory’ of science-inspired art experiences which aims to offer visitors vivid moments of insight and wonder. 

Thurs 4 July       And now Ladies and Gentleman… the new Variety Show begins

Gill Nicol,  Artist and Gallery Consultant

The series concludes with a preview of the Frank Cohen Collection who have generously loaned artworks for the opening Special Exhibition at the new museum.  A special selection from this major international contemporary art collection has been chosen to resonate with the museum collections. 

You will also get to find out the background behind these international artists’ commissions, what has inspired them and how they have approached using their creative skills to curate some of our museum collections and to make new bespoke artworks for the new museum. 

Each event costs just £4 or £3 for concessions (full-time students, unemployed, Museum Friends).  If you would like to attend all events we are offering a season ticket for the whole series at a discounted rate of £28 or £20* (*concessions).   A superb range of quality teas and coffees as well as a delicious selection of locally made sandwiches, cakes and snacks are available at the stylish café bar at the Old Market Hall which opens from 10am.