Northern Spirit
Thomas William Pattison, On the Tyne - Shipbuilding 1954
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Northern Spirit, a major new permanent exhibition celebrating the achievements of artists, manufacturers and makers from the North East of England is now open at the Laing Art Gallery.
Internationally acclaimed art from the Laing Art Gallery’s collection features in this new display, including work by 19th century painter John Martin, engraver and naturalist Thomas Bewick and the Beilby family of glass enamellers.
Julie Milne, curator of the Laing Art Gallery, says:
“We are extremely pleased to be opening this important new £1.06 million gallery development."
“Northern Spirit brings the region’s artistic achievement and creative history to light and celebrates some of the region’s most significant artists and makers in the permanent collection. The new gallery will be of great interest to visitors from the North East and beyond.”
The display also showcases local people’s photographs, films and stories. The Gallery has worked in partnership with the International Centre for Culture and Heritage Studies at Newcastle University to explore the relationships between art, identity and place. Information on the artworks and local stories are presented on touch-screen computers and an interactive map of photos and information provides an ever-changing picture of art and contemporary culture in the North East.
Cllr Pauline Allen, Portfolio Member for Culture, Leisure and Customer Services said,
“I am delighted to see the opening of the Northern Spirit exhibition which features some of the North East’s most important artists.
“The new exhibition brings together some of their most important and finest work on a permanent basis and so can be enjoyed by both residents and visitors to the city for some time to come. The interactive displays will also help the people of today bring new interpretation to these classic works spanning more than 300 years.”
The new display is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council.
The Laing Art Gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm. Admission is free. For more details please visit www.twmuseums.org.uk/laing