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. Hello my friend! I wish to say that this article is amazing, nice written and come with almost all important infos.
    I would like to see extra posts like this .

    Like

    Reply

  6. I simply couldn’t leave your site before suggesting that I really loved the usual
    info a person provide to your guests? Is gonna be back often in order
    to check out new posts

    Like

    Reply

  7. buy rolex replica
    Its such as you read my mind! You appear to understand a lot about this, like you wrote the
    guide in it or something. I think that you just can do
    with some % to power the message house a bit,
    however instead of that, that is excellent blog. A great read.
    I’ll definitely be back.

    Like

    Reply

  9. The stock market is a fantastic way to create money, however it is still very
    risky. Supply chain software enables managers to coordinate production and
    also track parts and assets. For many of you who read my articles and wonder
    where does he produce all this crap, well to become honest,
    the alien voices during my head have some input.

    Like

    Reply

  10. Hey there this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or
    if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding knowledge so I wanted to get guidance from
    someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!

    Like

    Reply

  14. I almost never write comments, but I read a few of the responses here Thanks for the
    memories – the year in art in Coventry and Warwickshire – Coventry Telegraph
    – Private View. I do have some questions for you if you don’t mind.
    Is it just me or do some of these responses come across as if they are left by brain dead visitors?
    😛 And, if you are writing on additional online sites, I would like to
    follow you. Would you list of every one of all your social pages like your
    linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?

    Like

    Reply

  18. I’ve read a few good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting.
    I surprise how so much attempt you set to create this type of great informative web site.

    Like

    Reply

  22. The humor is classic, which can be burdensome for humor to-do.
    Meanwhile, the Motorcycle Folks, who have their very own
    display were also included on this one. Mumble sets on a voyage while using his talents.

    Like

    Reply

  23. In fact, even if you lost the whole partition, data recovery is still able to retrieve the lost
    data for you. The Chromebook is also sleeker and includes a more vibrant screen.
    Many years in the past the user had to write their programming code manually, using some
    cryptic codes.

    Like

    Reply

  24. I do not drop a bunch of comments, however after browsing a few of the remarks here Thanks for the memories – the year in
    art in Coventry and Warwickshire – Coventry Telegraph – Private View.
    I do have 2 questions for you if it’s okay. Could it be only me or does
    it seem like some of the remarks look like they are written by
    brain dead visitors? 😛 And, if you are writing at additional places, I’d like to follow anything new you have to post.
    Would you post a list of the complete urls of all your social community pages like your Facebook
    page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?

    Like

    Reply

  33. Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the
    video to make your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why
    waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your
    blog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?

    Like

    Reply

  34. I added half ɑnd half to my coffee іn the 2nd week wҺich is a major no, no
    on this diet aոd I stayed at the same weight for the week.
    But If you are trying-to-conceive , every time you miss your period, your hopes
    that you are now finɑlly pregnant go up. It is released by the
    placenta whеn the fertilized egg is implantеd in the uterus.

    Like

    Reply

  35. Hi there! This blog post couldn’t be written any better!
    Looking at this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
    He constantly kept preaching about this. I
    most certainly will forward this information to
    him. Fairly certain he’ll have a very good read.
    Many thanks for sharing!

    Like

    Reply

  38. Attractive component to content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to
    claim that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts.
    Any way I will be subscribing for your augment or even I achievement
    you access persistently fast.

    Like

    Reply

  39. Thank you for every other informative website. Where else could I get that type of information written in such
    a perfect method? I’ve a project tha I am
    simply now working on, and I’ve been at the look out for such information.

    Like

    Reply

  40. Appreciating the commitment you put into your blog and detailed information you provide.
    It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed information.
    Great read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

    Like

    Reply

  42. Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on
    this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end
    or if it’s the blog. Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.

    Like

    Reply

  44. I’ve been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or
    blog posts on this kind of house . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this website.
    Studying this information So i’m glad to show that I’ve an incredibly
    just right uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed.
    I such a lot unquestionably will make sure to don?t overlook this web site
    and provides it a glance on a relentless basis.

    Like

    Reply

  45. There are trailers and demos for the hottest games and also
    the information about who is programming these games, when it will be released and the additionaal features of the games.
    At this moment, she’s responding to you being a
    Challenge, but this is only temporary. He went to forums, emailed the
    big players and pretty much got into some serious and tedious
    detective work to be the best.

    Like

    Reply

  46. I think that is among the so much significant info for
    me. And i’m glad studying your article. However should observation on few
    common issues, The site taste is wonderful, the articles is
    actually excellent : D. Excellent activity, cheers

    Like

    Reply

  47. The biggrst names in thee sector of IT srctors have harbored their offices here.
    Whether one is traveling the beaches oof Rio de Janiero orr the ruins
    of Machu Pichu, the Boblbee Megalopolis Executiive Hardshell Backpack is the ultimate in
    backpacks designed to protect its contents while reflecting a very uniquee style.
    It is not common process tto help connect economics with megapolis triche.

    Like

    Reply

  48. Make sure that you take an equal amount of metal from both ends of the blade; this
    will ensure that it remains balanced. Some additional
    considerations that will affect your business are the
    weather and the climate you are in. Consider who or what will be
    affected by the work you’re doing — how often, and in what way.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to Merlin Cancel reply