Tate Modern - http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/default.shtm
Enormous proportions - soon to be even larger! New place new traditions – screams commercial money. Tate family benefactors
Tate Modern is the national gallery of international modern art. Located in London, it is one of the family of four Tate galleries which display selections from the Tate Collection. The Collection comprises the national collection of British art from the year 1500 to the present day, and of international modern art. The other three galleries are Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St Ives, in Cornwall, in the south-west. The entire Tate Collection is available online. Created in the year 2000 from a disused power station in the heart of London, Tate Modern displays the national collection of international modern art. This is defined as art since 1900. Tate Modern includes modern British art where it contributes to the story of modern art, so major modern British artists may be found at both Tate Modern and Tate Britain.
The Collection
The Tate collection of modern and contemporary art represents all the major movements from Fauvism on. It includes important masterpieces by both Picasso and Matisse and collections of Surrealism.
American Abstract Expressionism include major works by Pollock as well as the nine Seagram Murals by Rothko. There is an in depth collection of the Russian artist Naum Gabo, and an important group of sculpture and paintings by Giacometti. Tate has significant collections of Pop art, including major works by Lichtenstein and Warhol, Minimal art and Conceptual art. Tate also has particularly rich holdings of contemporary art since the 1980s.
These four seminal periods are Surrealism, Minimalism, Post-war innovations in abstraction and figuration, and the three linked movements Cubism, Futurism and Vorticism. There is a diverse range of works which anticipated, challenged or responded to these four major movements. These displays reflect the ongoing dialogue between past and present and suggest contemporary perspectives for approaching and reassessing the past.
Special Exhibitions - The displays of the permanent collection are complemented by a continuous programme of temporary exhibitions exploring broad themes of British art as well as the work of individual artists.
Events & Education - Tate Modern has extensive and innovative interpretation, education and events programmes. Interpretation begins with texts in each room about the display and a caption for each work. Captions can be read online in Collection. There is an audioguide, with contributions from artists and critics, and a children's version. Samples of the audio guide can be accessed online under Explore Tate Modern. There is also an award-winning Multimedia Tour, which you can also try out online.
Around the galleries there are Reading Spaces, the Clore Information Room to watch artists' videos or to browse the bookshelves. There is a wide range of talks, lectures, free and paid-for gallery tours, symposia, seminars, courses and workshops, as well as film, music, performance, schools, family and community programmes and online events.
The Tate Modern Project
This new development will redefine the museum for the twenty first century, placing artists and their art at its centre while fully integrating the display, learning and social functions of the museum, and strengthening links between the museum, its community and the City.
Different kinds of gallery spaces are needed to better display the works in the Collection. Film, video, photography and performance have become more essential strands of artistic practice, and artists have embraced new technologies. Ambitious and imaginative installations are now pushing traditional gallery spaces to their limits.
“Learning will be at the heart of the new Tate Modern, reflecting Tate's commitment to increasing public knowledge and understanding of art.”
There will be a range of new facilities throughout the building for deeper engagement with art: interpretation, discussion, private study, participation, workshops and practice based learning.
Structured advancement – stating the value of art – impressive building, power status, symbolic of wealth.
The National Gallery is governed by the Museum and Galleries Act 1992, under which it has charitable status but is exempt from the need to register with the Charity Commission.
The Gallery is a non-departmental public body, whose sponsor body is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The Director of the National Gallery is also the Accounting Officer appointed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The Gallery is governed by a Board of Trustees. The establishment, constitution, functions and property etc. of the Board of Trustees can be found in Section 1 to the Museums and Galleries Act 1992. The general functions of the Board of Trustees can be found in Section 2 to the Museums and Galleries Act 1992.
It houses national collection of Western European painting from 13th to 19th Century. The Gallery aims to study and care for the collection – whilst encouraging access to the pictures.
In the National Gallery Statement of General Principles
It is written “ The paintings are held for everyone regardless of education, income, residence or personal circumstances.” It is free of charge.
The collection belongs to the people of the United Kingdom – It is open to all. It serves a wide and diverse public
Furthermore the aim of the gallery is to care for the collection, to enhance it for future generations, by acquisition and study of the works, and encouraging access to the pictures for education and enjoyment
The collection belongs to the people of the United Kingdom – It is open to all. It serves a wide and diverse public The Gallery serves a very wide and diverse public, which includes:
Frequent and occasional visitors to the Gallery in London
Those who see its pictures while they are on loan elsewhere, both inside and outside the UK, and those who know the collection through publications, multimedia and TV
Those who live nearby as well as those who live further away in the United Kingdom and overseas
Every age group - from children to pensioners
The socially excluded and the privileged; the uninformed and the specialist; and those with special needs
The worldwide community of museums and galleries
Most importantly: future generations
Departments within the Gallery
Scientific – where Scientists research materials, techniques of paintings. Advise Conservation and the best conditions for display of the pictures.
Research is also conducted into imaging of pictures.
Conservation – This department has primary responsibility for the conservation of the Collection. It is made up of Framing - restoring original frames, acquire suitable period frames and design and make new ones.
Conservation - Conservators clean, restore, research, ensuring that pictures lent and borrowed by the Gallery are in a sound state.
Collections Management - Art Handling
The Art Handling Department is responsible for the safe handling, movement and display of the collection and of loans to exhibitions.
Registrars - The Registrars Department is responsible for three main areas of work: arranging the safe transport of works of art; loan arrangements, insurance; the inventory of the collection and records of all works of art coming to or leaving the Gallery.
The Photographic Department undertakes technical photography of the collection, conventional and digital format, for use by the National Gallery.
To produce records of works of art during conservation, to support the Gallery's exhibition and education programmes, supply images for publication and to provide a historical record of the Gallery and its activities. The images produced are stored in controlled conditions in the Photographic Archive.
Collections
Each curator is responsible for the care, display, cataloguing and general educational presentation of paintings in their care. They advise on loans and acquisitions, help to organise exhibitions.
NB. (The paintings are divided between curators according to national school and also by period.)
Education - A wide variety of services is provided for adults, families and school children, including lectures, guided tours, study days to complement exhibitions, short talks, short courses and workshops, holiday activities and continuing professional development courses for primary and secondary school teachers. The department runs an extensive outreach programme of talks and workshops.
What I have tried to do here is give a outline from their websites what these to different major galleries state they set out to do, and who they cater for.
What I did find interesting is how both of these institutions called themselves Museums and yet I have always regarded them as part of the ideal of a Gallery.
Notes from video lecture - Is it just for the man in the street? Or a specific visitor for a specific type of work?
For instance Researchers or Educational, schools, students etc.
Both these institutions the National Gallery and Tate Modern really push the value of education, engagement increasing knowledge, they want to be valued not only for their collections but also the value of gaining knowledge through entering their worlds.
I was very interested in how especially the National Gallery specifically catalogued their principles under the “Statement of General Principles.” Is it because it a state/public owned institution.
Notes Continued - Museums/Galleries Mediate Art and Artefacts mediate from an original context.
Objects – Narrative and frame, cater for a particular audience.
Education is a key principle combined with entertainment – the two are integral in today’s society. To gain a child’s interest is to entertain when education is scripted into the world of entertainment knowledge is gained.
These institutions positioned politically and financially – esp into day financial climate. Whether state/ public owned or private they are concerned with appropriation and consumption. To visit these institutions is to gain an experience it’s a collective experience, dining visiting the shop, chance to quietly read or reflect – a cultured aspect.
Other Museums/Galleries mentioned
MOMA Ny
Guggenheim Museum
Louvre Museum
Musse d’ Orsay
Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts – Post modern Building very striking reacts against the flatness of the East Anglian landscape
Purpose built for education, pieces are not for sale – Attached to the University of East Anglia, and Library
Collection by Robert and Lisa Sainsbury – curated collection
Controlled – curatorial style, visitors are directed idea of controlled aspect to pieces of work.
Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford
Amassed collection, randomly spaced eclectic collection.
The Kiss - Rodin
When we look at Art Works do we look in awe feeling dwarfed by piece, or relate to it?
Personally I love that feeling of awe, and being overwhelmed by something, I went to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam I was so emotionally moved by the work, that was the moment at 28 years old that is what I wanted to do was paint, create things. A moment never to be forgotten a very powerful time in my life, a turning point.
NB. The Kiss by Rodin at some point in the past was exhibited in Lewes East Sussex, it was viewed as pornography and nearly caused a riot and exhibition was closed!!
Exhibition Layout - Seeing that layout really terrified me, the formal structural elements does not help someone like me who struggles just to manage day to day, let alone an exhibition involving so much detail. It really gave me an eye opening into the work that goes into organising such events.
Beyond the Gallery
Guerilla Girls – Political Art/ Feminism – Viral Campaign,
Site Specific – drawn from the place
Mark Quinn (b.1964)
The 4th Plinth, Alison Lapper 2005, marble sculpture of a disabled pregnant woman, pushed the issues of disability and beauty, how society viewed disability , motherhood – This to me was a piece of art that really made people think about their reactions to disability, I had a friend who was wheelchair bound, she had to have both her legs amputated, and when we used to go we had encountered many different reactions to her disability and so her life at times was challenging people’s reaction or understanding, she was a woman who was a Veterinary Surgeon extremely intelligent and had an amazing sense of humour, articulate however there were distinct moments of peoples ignorance and stupidity that sharply contrasted with my friend’s intelligence, yet she was treated with something akin to contempt even ridiculed at times. All because of people’s prejudices and fear.
The sculpture of Alison Lapper really brought out into the public eye how disability was viewed in this country, and the reaction to how she celebrated her body in all its beauty was what this country needed to reflect on.
Scallop – Maggi Hambling, Aldenburgh
Public judgement, public space, opinion – after a certain amount of discussion it has become a focal point and much loved.
Worcester – Elgar Statue
The sculpture is not an attractive or particularly interesting sculpture but it is a landmark of Worcester – the place to meet up with friends and family.
Robert Smithson – Spiral Jetty 1970 visible in its entirety only from the air – who is this for and what is the artist’s intent?
