Art Fund Collect 2011 winners
Hakutai (A Thousand Years) by Naoki Takeyama installed in Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery.
We talk to the successful Art Fund Collect curators from 2011 to hear about the public reaction to their new acquisitions, how they have been incorporated into their programme of events and what they expect from COLLECT 2012.
mima (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art) acquired Brooch, 2010, by Stefano Marchetti, for £5,300 from Galerie Marzee. Curator James Beighton talks to us about their acquisition;Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
Although mima does not have a permanent display of its collection, all works are brought out as part of our regularly changing exhibition programme. The brooch by Stefano Marchetti has already featured in a major jewellery exhibition at mima (called The Modern Jewel) and is currently part of a European touring exhibition, Jewellery Unleashed curated by Museum voor Moderne Kunst in Arnhem, NL.
What has been the public reaction to it?
Public reaction has been very good so far. Our audiences have responded to both the curiosity of the object, its obvious preciousness and the weight of references that the work contains, especially in relation to Catholic identity. The importance of the work has been manifested also through its inclusion on the touring exhibition which is due to open at Museum Bellerive in Zurich.
Do you have any other work by Stefano Marchetti?
This is the first piece that we have acquired by Marchetti, however he is representative of a style of jewellery making that has become known as the Padua School. In 2009 mima acquired an important bracelet by Giovanni Corvaja, also through Art Fund Collect, who is another representative of this school. The two works therefore help explore different approaches to goldsmithing that could be found within this group.
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
Education programmes at mima are typically based around the exhibitions on display, but the brooch was an important element of the programme for The Modern Jewel.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
I’m certainly planning to attend COLLECT this year. As always it will be a great opportunity to see new work, meet old friends and discuss future projects. With a bit of luck we might also be able to acquire something for mima’s collection.
www.visitmima.com @mimamodernart
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Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery acquired Kangaroo and Emu Lost in Chintz, 2010, by Robin Best, for £8,800 from Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon. Keeper of Art & Curator of Decorative Art Dr Francesca Vanke talks to us about their acquisition;
Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
Our acquisition, the vase entitled Kangaroo and Emu Lost in Chintz, is on display in the Treasure, Trade & the Exotic gallery which features decorative arts from China, Japan, India, Tibet and Africa, together with British objects influenced by non-European arts.
What has been the public reaction to it?
The vases are the only contemporary object in this display so far. Visitors have enjoyed the contrast, but have also said that they fit well in the context of the historical items, as they so clearly reflect historical tradition.
Do you have any other work by Robin Best?
No. As a non-British maker she is outside the remit of our usual collecting policy, which is why the Art Fund Collect scheme was such a good opportunity, and at present the only one, for us to acquire her work!
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
I give regular talks in this gallery and feature the decoration of the vases as a contemporary postmodern take on historical antecedents. I also point them out to museology students as an example of a way to integrate contemporary objects into a historical display. Our education department also hold regular art workshops in this gallery for children. They are star objects in the subject area of ‘pattern’ and are referred to frequently in this context.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
I will be attending COLLECT 2012. I enjoy attending every year chiefly for the intense burst of exposure to international quality craft, which provides me with much interesting food for thought, as well as makers to research over the rest of the year.
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery has been shortlisted for Art Fund Collect 2012
www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
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Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery acquired Hakutai (A Thousand Years), 2011, Naoki Takeyama for £6,000 from Yufuku Gallery. Curator of Decorative Art Alison Cooper talks to us about their acquisition;
Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
The work has been on display in the Museum’s foyer area in a display of modern and contemporary craft since it arrived at the Museum in July 2011.
What has been the public reaction to it?
Visitors I have spoken to about think that it is really beautiful – and everyone is astonished by the lengthy processes and precise techniques used to create it.
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
The piece has featured in a number of our ‘Art Bites’ (half hour curator-led tours about the collection) as well as a one hour talk entitled ‘Contemporary Craft at Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery.’ The piece has also been discussed with student groups from University College Falmouth and Plymouth College of Art on specialised visits to the collection.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
Yes – it’s always great to see so much high quality craft together at the same time. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to discover new artists as well as to see the most recent work by established makers.
Listen to a MP3 recording with more detailed information on Hakutai here
www.plymouth.gov.uk
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Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, acquired Secret Life of Plants, 2010, by Steffen Dam for £8,820 from Joanna Bird. Assistant Curator of Natural History Holly Morgenroth talks to us about their acquisition;
Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
Currently in the windows to our on-site collections store ‘More in Store’ – the six windows showcase objects people have chosen – the first five are chosen by the public and change every few months, the last window shows the object Penny and I chose – Secret Life of Plants. It will stay here until we do the first change over of the Courtyard wall (we reopened to the public after a four year closure in December 2011) when hopefully it will take pride of place in one of these cases along side relevant objects from the natural history collections.
What has been the public reaction to it?
We have the piece spot-lit from above which really makes the it light up – the public have been captivated by the tiny bubbles within the blown glass and the beautiful colours.
Do you have any other work by Steffen Dam?
No, we’d love to though. His jellyfish jars are so beautiful and would sit so nicely next to our Victorian collection of starfish preserved in alcohol.
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
Yes, recently the local branch of the Art Fund had an event at RAMM and it was discussed by two of the speakers they had. Hopefully now that the museum is up and running again we can focus on making the best use possible of this fantastic piece.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
We have once again applied for Art Fund Collect this year. Unlike last year when we knew exactly what we wanted to acquire, this year if we are successful we will be looking around the fair with a very open mind about the piece we might select which is very exciting and a challenge I am greatly looking forward to.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum has been shortlisted for Art Fund Collect 2012
www.rammuseum.org.uk @RAMMuseum
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Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery acquired Yukiai (Encounters), 2011, by Naoki Takeyama, for £7,950 from Yufuku Gallery. Curator of Applied Art Fiona Slattery Clark talks to us about their acquisition;
Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
Naoki Takeyama’s sculptural piece entitled ‘Yukiai’ (Encounters) is currently on display on the lower level of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s Industrial Gallery. Over the past year, this gallery has been refurbished and the applied art collections redisplayed. Naoki Takeyama’s piece sits comfortably with historic and contemporary pieces of metalwork, silver, glass, ceramics and wood from Japan, Malaysia, Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, England and Scotland. The theme of the showcase is The Handmade. (Within the next few months, Naoki Takeyama’s piece will be the star object in a refurbished gallery showcasing contemporary metalwork.)
What has been the public reaction to it?
The public reaction to Naoki Takeyama’s piece has been very positive. Members of the public have commented that it works well displayed in a showcase focusing on handmade objects. They have admired its technical accomplishment. Others like the fact that it is displayed alongside objects from different cultures. Others also enjoy the continuity of seeing a contemporary object displayed alongside historic pieces.
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
When the new contemporary metalwork gallery opens within the next few months, Naoki Takeyama’s piece will feature in gallery tours/talks.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
Martin Ellis and I are very much hoping to be selected to attend Collect 2012. We are especially interested in seeing the latest developments in Robert Foster’s metalwork.
www.bmag.org.uk @BM_AG
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National Museum Wales – Amgueddfa Cymru acquired Homura I (Inferno), 2011 by Takahiro Yede, for £7,150 from Yufuku Gallery. Rachel Conroy talks to us about their acquisition;
Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
The piece is currently displayed on our balcony area, directly opposite the entrance to our recently opened wing of modern and contemporary galleries. It forms the centrepiece of a display that includes works by Claudi Casanovas, Hiroshi Suzuki, Michikawa Shozo, Junko Mori, Bernard Leach and Julian Stair.
What has been the public reaction to it?
Visitors I have spoken to about the piece have responded very positively. Many have shared my initial reaction, which was to marvel at the technical accomplishment of the work.
Do you have any other work by Takahiro Yede?
No – as far as I’m aware, this is the first example of his work in a UK public collection.
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
I gave a short lecture on Homura I to the Dyfed Art Fund group in February. I will also be giving a gallery talk on the work and its broader context in May.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
Yes – I am thrilled to have been shortlisted for Art Fund COLLECT for a second time and am relishing the opportunity to take part again. I am looking forward to spending the day with curators from other institutions and being inspired by fantastic examples of international craft.
National Museum Wales – Amgueddfa Cymru has been shortlisted for Art Fund Collect 2012
www.museumwales.ac.uk @AmgueddfaCymru
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Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery acquired Brooch, 2010 by Giovanni Corvaja, for £13,000 from Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon. Keeper of Fine and Decorative Arts Pamela Wood talks to us about their acquisition;
Where is your Art Fund Collect acquisition in the gallery/museum?
The brooch by Giovanni Corvaja is exhibited in the first display case in the main decorative arts gallery, facing you as you as you come in. The gallery is called ‘Every Object Tells A Story’. This is on the ground floor at Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery.
What has been the public reaction to it?
Excellent. Although we have not conducted a visitor survey, gallery staff have reported on the popularity of this piece. Visitors spend time looking at it and are impressed by the delicacy and beauty of the piece.
Do you have any other work by Giovanni Corvaja?
This is the only piece of Jewellery by Giovanni Corvaja in the Nottingham collection. The piece is to be included in an exhibition of our jewellery collection in 2013.
Has the piece been a part of any talks/education programme etc?
Yes. The piece has been included in lectures to NADFAS and ART FUND Nottinghamshire and to the Friends of Nottingham Museums. It has also been promoted as one of our top ten works from the collection.
Will you be attending COLLECT 2012 and if so – what are you looking forward to most?
Yes – the whole event and particularly the jewellery!
www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk