The greatest living Art Collection (at UCL)
By Jenny M Wedgbury, on 1 July 2015
At Glastonbury Festival this year, singer Kanye West claimed he was the ‘greatest living rock star on the planet’. Here at the UCL Art Museum, we’d like to claim that we are the greatest living art collection on campus, hosting a wonderful treasure trove of work dating from the 1490’s to the present day. We can afford to be as confident as Kanye, with a collection by artists such as Durer, Rembrandt, Van Dyck Turner, Dora Carrington, Stanley Spencer and Paula Rego.
We wanted a chance over the summer to share our amazing collection of prints and drawings with our auidences so we’re excited to announce that during July we’re going to be hosting 3 Pop-Up displays in the Art Museum space. UCL Art Museum is built upon the model of a traditional print room, and these Pop-Ups will offer a temporary return to such origins. With over 8,000 works, our holdings represent a comprehensive archive of graphic art, and a unique record of its use in British art education. A number of guest speakers will also be on hand to provide an engaging tour through this material. The Pop-Up’s are FREE and drop-in so do come along. For more information and to book go to our What’s On pages. They will take place in UCL Art Museum, Wilkins Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT.
Dutch and Flemish Old Masters
Friday 3 July, 1pm-5pm
Lunchtime talk with An Van Camp, 1pm-1.30pm
Join us on Friday 3 July to explore our collection of Dutch and Flemish Old Masters. Prints and drawings by Goltzius, Visscher, Rembrandt and Rubens will all be on show. It is a unique chance to enjoy some highlights from the Low Countries. An Van Camp, curator of Dutch and Flemish drawings at the British Museum, will offer some insight into Anthony Van Dyck’s work Iconography in a lunchtime talk from 1pm-1.30pm.
Pop-Up display: Flaxman Collection
Wednesday 8 July, 1pm-5pm
Lunchtime talk with Dr Eckart Marchand
1pm-1.30pm
Join us on Wednesday 8 July to find out more about the work of John Flaxman. The Art Museum’s collection is the world’s largest single grouping of his work, and includes a great number of his drawings and prints, as well as the original plaster casts that were displayed in his studio. Celebrated as one of the leading artists of his generation, this Pop-Up offers a unique chance to see Flaxman’s paper and sculptural work alongside one another, and to enjoy the connections that unite them both. Dr. Eckart Marchand, Assistant Archivist at the Warburg Institute, will deliver a talk on the function and status of Flaxman’s drawings from 1pm-2pm.
Pop-Up display: Slade Artists’ collection
Wednesday 22 July, 1pm-5pm
Lunchtime talk with Rebecca John, 1pm-2pm
Join us on Wednesday 22 July to see our remarkable collection of prints, drawings and paintings from Slade artists including Dora Carrington, Gwen John, Winifred Knights, Stanley Spencer and Paula Rego. Come along and take inspiration from their works; just as they found their creative footing in our collection when studying here at the Slade. Rebecca John, artist, editor, as well as the grandaughter of Augustus John and Ida Nettleship, will be giving a personal account of the Slade circle and its figures from 1pm-2pm.
You can find out more and book by going to What’s On pages. All Pop-Up displays will take place in the UCL Art Museum main space.
We look forward to seeing yout there.