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Often
debated in the media for its radical building structure - though
more recently for Jonathan Callan’s outlandish exhibition.
Styled on a massive shop front display of cuddly toys, all lovingly
sliced, hammered, drilled then injected with silicon, for £21
million. The New Art Gallery Walsall really has turned the concept
of what an art gallery used to be on its head.
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| Darren
Lago Stilletto Stalactite 1999 steel, resin, leather and plastic
- Courtesy 'Annely Juda Fine Art' |
It's
a bit like a visit to the big Swedish home interiors store, popular
with a current wave of ‘minimalist’ Britain. It makes
no apology for its unashamed modern fixtures and fittings along
with its refreshing approach to hassle free browsing.
Out
with ‘arty types stuffiness’, in with living room height
ceilings, simplistic lighting. On fresh white coated walls hang
masters of the old school such as Picasso, Van Gogh, and Monet with
today’s movers and shakers like notorious art scene rebel,
Damien Hurst.
The
Discovery Gallery
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| The
Discovery Gallery |
The
Jewel in it's crown has to be its Discovery Gallery, the first interactive
art space of its kind in this country. Designed for young visitors
but stimulating enough for adults, it mixes touch, vision and role
play multimedia with fashionably commercial artworks.
During
the planning process the design team took their inspiration for
its content from visits to America. Learning from and evolving the
ideas of the pioneers of this kind of future art.
Joe
Digger, Collections Curator explains, "Some people come because
they enjoy art, others for stimulation, conversation, debate - or
to get in from the rain. I’m happy for people to get what they
can from the gallery."
She
continues, "Cutting corners wasn’t an option, it had to
be about getting the very best for the people of Walsall."
The
Garman Ryan Collection
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| Sally
Ryan (1916 - 1968) - The Martinique 1934 |
Traditional
art is showcased in the The Garman Ryan Collection, currently featuring
a stunning new addition on loan from the Tate Modern, London. Here
you step into rooms full of happy and stern faced sculptures, all
family and friends of renowned artists Jacob Epstein. Donated by
his lover and towards the latter part of his life his wife, they
mingle with detailed African crafted workmanship retaining the international
feel of the whole building.
As
for the future, phase two of Walsall’s art explosion is imminent
with rumours to create artist studios and a larger community exhibition
space. Whether this does or doesn’t happen, since its launch
just two years ago, the gallery has been visited by over half a
million visitors.
It's
fair to say they have every reason to strut in their Darren Lago,
sleek red, stalactite high-heels, as a leading exhibitor of national
and international art.
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