All England's museums close
PLUS: New artwork at Leighton House Museum
maxwell museums magazine - 4 November
So here we are again. All museums in England will close their doors tonight for at least a month. All that effort to reopen since the summer, undone in the space of a few days. And of course we are not alone: museums in Wales, France, Germany, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland are also shut. It’s all a bit déjà vu and dispiriting.
But I will look to the positives. Museums in Scotland remain open. As they do in the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. And in England, the grounds of historic homes, sculpture parks and gardens will stay open, so if you can go, please do. It’ll be good for these venue’s finances, and it’ll be good for your soul. I have some suggestions below.
This newsletter will continue. The fortnightly magazine edition (this one) might be a bit trimmer, but I’ll still be bringing you the best of the world of museums. We need them now more than ever.
Until next time, happy reading.
what’s on
Normally here I would list 3 brand new exhibitions you need to see from around the globe. But with the new restrictions in England, instead here are 3 cultural spots you can still visit during lockdown 2.0.
Kew Gardens, London - get closer to nature in the vast and varied botanical gardens. Always a wonderful visit.
Damien Hirst at Yorkshire Sculpture Park - four major sculptures by the contemporary artist are displayed within the 18th century park.
National Trust gardens across the UK - the greatest collection of historic gardens in Europe where you can discover 500 years of history. Here are some of the most famous.
interview
Shahrzad Ghaffari in her studio. Images courtesy of the artist
The term ‘hidden gem’ could have been coined for west London’s Leighton House Museum. Located deep in the heart of the Kensington, you could walk past it day after day and never know the secrets it holds inside. And they are wonderful secrets: the stunning turquoise Arab Hall, complete with an indoor fountain; a vast Victorian painting studio filled with a wonderful pre-Raphaelite collection; and even a stuffed peacock. It really is a “kaleidoscope of art forms.”
Leighton House is currently undergoing an ambitious project to build a new wing, which will expand facilities, exhibition spaces and accessibility. Very excitingly, they’ve also commissioned a spectacular 11-metre-high mural that will decorate the walls of the grand helical staircase in the new wing. The piece, by Iranian artist Shahrzad Ghaffari, will be the first contemporary artwork on permanent display at Leighton House. The Museum has launched a crowdfunding campaign through the Art Fund platform, Art Happens, to help raise the £17,300 it needs to make the artwork a reality. For this this week’s interview, I spoke to the Shahrzad to find out more about what she has planned.
Tell me more about your commission 'Oneness'. Where did the inspiration come from?
Primarily from the spirit of Leighton House itself – that union of East and West. I wanted to capture the idea of two strands coming together to form a new fusion – celebrating the museum’s identity through DNA symbolism. I wanted to explore how through connection and dialogue, we evolve our identities – how new generations draw from different traditions without seeing them as mutually exclusive. I often use the poet Rumi as inspiration and the words woven into the painting are his – One I seek. One I know. One I call.
What does it mean to you to be producing Leighton House's first permanent contemporary work?
It’s an incredible honour and as you can imagine, I’m absolutely thrilled. But it’s a huge responsibility too – everywhere you look in Leighton House, there’s magic – extraordinary art and craftsmanship and I’m just so humbled to be in the same space. I think it’s the perfect home for Oneness because it is a direct conversation with the museum, both conceptually and aesthetically. Trying to harness its values and re-imagine them through a contemporary prism.
Is it a challenge to be working on a commission that's crowdfunded? And what has the response been so far?
I was definitely a bit nervous about the crowdfunding - how people would react – what enthusiasm levels would be like, especially in such challenging times. But everyone at Leighton House has been amazing and the response has been unbelievable so far. It’s amazing seeing these personal donations come in – it actually makes you feel very connected to them. Seeing support like that means so much more than just hanging a painting
What else can people expect from the new wing at Leighton House when it opens?
For me, the most exciting part of the redevelopment is the fact that the Museum and its collections will be ‘open’ and become accessible to more people - the new Leighton House will have additional exhibition spaces, new learning facilities and of course, the grand helical staircase and the new lift will provide a improved visitor experience for all. I also look forward to the new café overlooking the garden!
What does 2021 have in store for you?
Fingers crossed on crowdfunding, but Oneness is top of the list for 2021. I’ll be spending a couple of months in the UK painting it and I’m really looking forward to coming over with the family. Beyond that, I’ll be painting pretty intensely, preparing for exhibitions in 2022.
As a visitor, what are some of your other favourite museums and galleries to visit?
There’s so much to explore in London but top of my list is the British Museum, especially the Persian and Assyrian collections. I love Tate Britain, the Tate Modern and the National Gallery too, and when I’m next over, I’m hoping to delve deeper into smaller galleries. Any tips warmly welcomed!
Leighton House have already hit their fundraising target for Oneness, but you can still donate: there are “plans to enhance the project” with any additional money raised. Donate here.
and finally
Jasper Johns, Flags I, 1973 © Jasper Johns / DACS, London
As this newsletter hits your inbox, we may know who will be President of the United States for the next 4 years. Or we may not. But one thing is for sure, America is a divided nation. This week the British Museum announced it has acquired Flags I, a million-dollar masterpiece print by US artist Jasper Johns that features Johns’ iconic stars and stripes motif. On election day yesterday Jonathan Jones, writing in the Guardian, called the acquisition “inspired” and “the perfect image to wave in Trump's face.” Worth a read for that comment alone.
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