Swindon Museum and Art Gallery has launched a virtual exhibition through ArtUK, the online home of the nation’s public art collections.
'Descent of a Bull's Head' by Hambling
The exhibition is called ‘Big Hitters’, and has been selected by the committee of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, who aim to draw attention to some of the most important pieces in Swindon’s collection of modern British art.
Although the Bath Road venue is closed due to COVID-19, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is making the best of digital resources to help people access the collection, which is credited with being one of the best in the UK. This has included the launch of ‘Art on Tour at Home’, which has developed a number of free online talks, activities and learning resources. ArtUK’s curation tool is also invaluable for sharing the collection with audiences during lockdown.
‘Big Hitters’ includes around 30 artworks from the collection, spanning the 20th Century and showcasing some of the most popular pieces in the collection by the likes of David Bomberg, Howard Hodgkin and L.S. Lowry. Linda Kasmaty, the Chair of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, explained why the initiative is so important.
She said: “When we were asked if the Friends’ committee would like to mount a virtual exhibition, we thought what a fantastic way of getting the collection shown to a wider, online audience. Since the beginning of lockdown due to COVID-19, many people have spent more time online, and many museums and galleries have greatly increased their online presence.
"We’re hoping this exhibition will complement the ‘Art on Tour’ initiative which has been a tremendous success, connecting with many people, both those familiar with the Swindon collection, and those who did not know Swindon had such a collection.”
Councillor Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, Culture and Heritage, said: “Lockdown has really inspired us to come up with new and creative ways of showcasing our fantastic art collection here in Swindon and this latest exhibition is another fine example of that work.
“I would like to thank the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and ArtUK for their work in promoting these 30 wonderful artworks, and I’m sure it will be a big hit in keeping with its title!”
The exhibition will be available to view through ArtUK’s website at: https://artuk.org/discover/curations/big-hitters-significant-artists-in-the-swindon-collection/template/storyline
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is also thrilled to be included in the Great British Art Quiz, which is compiled by ArtUK and The Guardian. Visit The Guardian’s website and test your knowledge about Swindon’s art collection by taking this exciting quiz - https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/04/great-british-art-quiz-swindon-museum-art-gallery.
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