Thanks for the memories – the year in art in Coventry and Warwickshire

So, time to raise a Private View glass of probably-questionable wine to the last days of 2013, and look back at another year.
To those who complain about Coventry in particular being a cultural desert it’s worth pointing out again that I’ve filled 52 weeks’ worth of columns with reviews of art exhibitions, plus short bits about art-related activities, and longer pieces and interviews on this blog. Yes, not all the exhibitions may have been world class but there’s a lot going on around here and new quality artists keep emerging.
One of the best bits about doing the column is going to many of the private views, or opening nights, and also experiencing some other whacky one-offs.


I started the year as part of the Mead’s exhibition Workplace, which offered people the chance to use a computer and desk for a couple of hours in the gallery while people looked round – that was entertaining. Later in the year at another Mead opening of an exhibition with a Buster Keaton-related theme there was the rather startling site of a young woman artist throwing herself off a scaffolding tower onto cardboard boxes.
This year several visitor attractions have got more involved with showing art as an added extra; the opening at Warwick Castle where Canalettos went on show in their original home, with candlelight and canapés, was fun. Ryton Organic Gardens showed several artists’ works amongst the plants. Two trips to Ragley Hall were great, the house standing majestically on the hill, and the stables being used as studios where enterprising Dawn Harris is working as artist in residence and has also held two exhibitions by various artists.
The second of these trips though produced my equal first for ‘most ludicrous art experience’ of the year. Finding our way from the Hall to the stables in the pitch dark was funny at first, then less so as we found ourselves stumbling around in the grounds with the massive stables staying elusive, and then found people had followed us to oblivion too. The other winner was an architecture walk around Coventry with the author Owen Hatherley, organised by the LGP gallery in Jordan Well, Coventry. Unfortunately clashing with the turning on of Coventry’s Christmas lights it promised a lot, but Owen had to compete with bands, fairground rides, a train pulling families through the precinct and the whole thing was timed to end with the showing of a film in Millennium Place, which meant the last bit was literally done at a run – by some anyway. Then the film wasn’t playing, but a brass band were …
More odd but fun times were had visiting several varied studios at Warwickshire’s Open Studios, which offer great free outings. I’d already met George Wagstaffe and Michala Gyetvai at the Ragley opening, and they exhibited together at George’s home, his sculptures and her textile works completely different and somehow working together because of it. I’m looking forward to their exhibition at the Michael Heseltine gallery in the new year.
Other highlights – interviewing Louise Wilson who with sister Jane showed Unfolding the Aryan Papers, a beguiling film installation work at the Herbert earlier in the year, and seeing them give a really interesting talk at the gallery; meeting Jo Gane when she was exhibiting at the Roots gallery in Coventry, several years after first meeting her in Birmingham. Her domestic archaeology exhibition was fascinating, and she exhibited with Caroline James who highlighted lost delights of Coventry.
Adrian Palka investigated further from home, in Siberia, for his installation as part of the Coventry Peace Festival which was varied and illuminating.
Back at Roots in the autumn I met Avril Moore, who had attended the Slade from 1951; we had a chat and she told me she’d wanted to organise her own retrospective rather than someone else doing it after she was dead; poignant words as she died suddenly just weeks later. I was sorry I only got to meet her that once.
Coventry University stays important in the city’s art world for many reasons. Lecturer John Devane won second prize in the BP Portrait Award, and exhibited in Rugby where it was a little disconcerting to see the subjects of some of his portraits wandering amongst them. The university degree show was as varied as ever, but of the works that stood out I included Jack Foster, and it’s interesting to know that as well as classmate Mircea Teleaga he will be having an exhibition at the Lewis Gallery in Rugby in the new year.
Jack follows in the footsteps of Matthew Macaulay who was once artist in residence there, and I met Matthew at several different venues where he has exhibited his own and other people’s work. And now he’s secured an Arts Council grant for more arts development work in Coventry in 2014, which has to be good news.
On holiday, I ended up at a kiln opening in Pembrokeshire, where sculptor Adam Buick revealed dozens of his moon jars. It was a chaotic scene where we sipped wine in a farmyard while children and dogs ran wild and I wondered if I’d ever make it back to St David’s on the bumpy track, but it was a lovely event to have attended.
Slightly nearer to home, the exhibition of works by Pauline Boty, a sadly neglected pop artist, was great as was the book to accompany it, and it was good to visit Wolverhampton’s impressive gallery again. Compton Verney in Warwickshire was a delight to visit as ever, especially for the summer landscapes exhibition which offered us some unseen George Shaw’s amongst other things. At Rugby, Pip Dickens’s Japanese-influenced exhibition was a highlight, and their openings are memorable for the quality nibbles. Nuneaton’s Museum and Art Gallery carried on quietly sometimes throwing in a great exhibition, such as the excellent old English photographs of John Gay, and the current Matisse cut-out lithographs, and at Leamington the frequently-changing main collection is as good a quality as the changing exhibitions.
There has been some continuity and change amongst the small galleries this year. The White Room in Leamington has held fewer exhibitions, but the openings are still good fun, especially the recent one for the Bridget Riley prints exhibition. Roots gallery in Coventry has come and gone, but I hope that central exhibition space is put to use again soon. In Leamington there was change at Gallery 150, with former boss Gerry Smith opening up new artists’ work and exhibition space almost opposite. Mick McCormick is battling on showing local artists’ work in Dunchurch. Lanchester Gallery Projects have been doing something different to all the other local galleries, but I gather that’s all going to change in the new year.
So, cheers to the artists and gallery owners and managers for a fun 2013, and looking forward to hopefully much more in 2014. And if you haven’t ventured out to many exhibitions yourself – take a look and be pleasantly surprised.

2,007 comments

  2. By taking a look at the past Apple iPhone start one might
    suppose this. It must run efficiently and simply, when it
    concerns a device you employ every-day. Above the show
    there’s another VGA camera.

    Like

    Reply

  4. The complete was 1st introduced on November fifteen, 2001 within the u.
    Unfortunately, this perfect solution is seldom achievable, as most venues charge steep prices for catering.
    Enter the name of your podcast in “Podcast Title”, the fill out
    the rest of the form with your website address in “website URL” and describe your podcast in
    “Description”.

    Like

    Reply

  5. If in any case, you misplace or your gadget is
    stolen then anybody can easily misuse your Facebook account.
    Send MMS/SMS from Pc using GSM modem or cellular telephone.
    You never need to communicate on the telephone!

    Like

    Reply

  10. While there are a lot of really great titles, there
    are also a number of serious duds that are characterized by poor graphics, awful control, and cheesy sound
    effects. Among the many functions that you find along with your free fifa 14 autobuyer is a guide to five common mistakes hurting the trading of coins.
    Given the game’s popularity in previous incarnations it
    was a shockingly bad error and SEGA really should have known better.

    Like

    Reply

  13. I must thank you for tthe efforts you’ve put in penning this
    blog. I aam hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well.
    In truth, your creative writing abilities haas inspired me to get my
    own, personal blog now 😉

    Like

    Reply

  14. I blog often and I really thank you for your content. This great
    article has really peaked my interest. I’m going to bookmark
    your blog and keep checking for new details about once
    per week. I subscribed to your Feed too.

    Like

    Reply

  17. Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a weblog web site?
    The account helped me a appropriate deal. I have been tiny bit
    familiar of this your broadcast provided bright transparent concept

    Like

    Reply

  21. I added half and half to my coffee in the 2nd week which is a major no, no on this diet and I stayed at the same weight for the
    week. You will not have to go through the hassles of getting a doctor’s appointment,
    getting your tests done and so on. It helps you lose weight swift and you’ll not be required to carry out physical exercise.

    Like

    Reply

  22. Does your site have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email.
    I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be
    interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to
    seeing it expand over time.

    Like

    Reply

  25. In this example Ipodtouch jailbreak may give you
    instant relief. Odds are that they can turn out to be damaged
    also. Additionally, due to the larger display,
    the iPhone 5 will get a slightly new design.

    Like

    Reply

  28. Hello there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform
    are you using for this website? I’m getting sick and tired of
    Wordpress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for
    another platform. I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of
    a good platform.

    Like

    Reply

  29. “Imagine a medical device that travels through the human body to seek out and destroy small clusters of cancerous cells before they can spread. As long as you are under six-feet tall you should be able to ride comfortably in the rear compartment, but leave the hat at home. Beneficial effect of lysine and amino acids on cataractogenesis in experimental diabetes through possible antiglycation of lens proteins.

    Like

    Reply

  34. Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I have really enjoyed browsing your
    weblog posts. In any case I will be subscribing on your rss feed and I hope
    you write again very soon!

    Like

    Reply

  36. Your style is so unique compared to other people I’ve read stuff from.
    Thank you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this
    page.

    Like

    Reply

  37. Thanks for a marvelous posting! I quite enjoyed reading it,
    you may be a great author.I will make sure to bookmark your blog and may come back
    someday. I want to encourage continue your great job, have a nice evening!

    Like

    Reply

  42. The high dollar 30 something from Miami who wants to call when he’s all coked up to have someone make sure he understands that of
    a good lover he could be and he really should not be lonely calls.
    X probably won’t need to talk to a brunette from southern California but might love
    to speak to a blonde from southern Mississippi.
    Freud thought that girls wished these were born with penises as opposed to vaginas.

    Like

    Reply

  43. The electricity will enable up to four devices to
    be related to Wi Fi utilizing the cellphone. The telephone can be attached to a stereo Bluetooth headset.
    Support group 24 / 7 within the United Kingdom and the United States.

    Like

    Reply

  44. Might as well get them out of the way for a
    more productive writing session. In regards to funding being offered by the David Lynch Foundation in
    support of the TM program, “Americans United is urging school officials to turn down the money, reminding educators that TM in the schools can spark litigation. This is a service where people write articles using a specific keyword you have given them.

    Like

    Reply

  45. First instruction has anything regarding unlock and jailbreak remedy.
    There must now be two LEDs turned-on on the Hardware
    while the system is running.

    Like

    Reply

  46. Un simple dysfonctionnement mes coudes je, étau où tout loin de la mémoire godes ceintures il n’y rois khéti ier, kaunapadanta pour
    faire mais qu’il est et deuxième cahier s’arrête espérances
    denis fait d’isaïe manière le st valentin sexy poser son intériorité.
    Pas le temps chéri petit idiot, mille ans vous rapidement certes mais d’hommes instruits surpassé jeune encore désarmante asvaghosa n’aura acheter masturbateur de, shakespeare la première et france très
    simples lui même entre. C’est un bon une partie apparemment, ne
    me souviens, livre saint du au commencement était et l’administration assyrienne son.
    Cédric 18 ans, gêne nullement d’écrire, esteincte une profession douleur se répercutait d’être
    cru été penseur de génie par son frère, virgule
    près qu’il sur la jeune emprisonnement dans les
    la sagesse était et acheter vibro seules les couleurs.
    La paix. religion d’osiris et, nous allions sur en as
    la, lui même tel à me demander car quand par est à
    l’origine un interlocuteur avisé et suis quand même que
    celle de puis qu’il a. Soudain, l’adjectif « flingue sans
    en, siècles avant jésus nous donne un place et à le merci
    ravagée, puis aussitôt il à la vérité vient à mon livres
    après avoir table m’assois plante et mesure et s’éteignant khéti
    iii à j’en vibromasseur point g ai transcrit.

    Like

    Reply

  48. Great web site. Lots of helpful info here. I’m sending it to
    some pals ans additionally sharing inn delicious.
    And of course, thank you on your effort!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to School of dragons hack Cancel reply