'Big Hitters', FSMAG Committee Picks!

The Friends' committee were recently asked if they would like to mount a virtual exhibition of works from the Swindon Collection. It didn't take us long to agree it was something we would really enjoy doing; the idea of showcasing some of the possibly most prestigious works in the collection in an online exhibition was very exciting. Remembering exhibitions being put up in the gallery, I thought how fabulous to come up with a theme, pick the paintings, and fix them into the wall. Now we had the opportunity to go through the same process; we chose 27 works, with quite a high degree of agreement about what to put into the exhibition. The title was not universally liked among the committee, but was voted in, the complete title being:
 'Big Hitters: Significant Artists in the Swindon Collection', if you click on the link, you can see the exhibition, and some information about each one.
A big thank you to Tracy White for her work in making this a reality, ArtUK for their fabulous website and promotion of artworks and Swindon Borough Council for supporting the Swindon MAG.
 These paintings are being used to advertise the exhibition:

 David Bomberg's 'South East Corner of Jerusalem' and below Maggi Hamblings's 'Descent of a Bull's Head

Please do have a look at the rest of the exhibition by clicking on the link above.
I'll also include the press release below:
(There should be the Swindon MAG logo in the top left hand corner)

Press Release

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery launches ‘Big Hitters’ virtual exhibition with ArtUK

Tuesday 23 July 2020

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery has announced the launch of a virtual exhibition through ArtUK, the online home of the nation’s public art collections. The exhibition is called ‘Big Hitters’, and has been selected by the committee of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, who aim to draw attention to some of the most important pieces in Swindon’s collection of modern British art.

Although the Bath Road venue is closed due to COVID-19, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is making the best of digital resources to help people access the collection, which is credited with being one of the best in the UK. This has included the launch of ‘Art on Tour at Home’, which has developed a number of free online talks, activities and learning resources. ArtUK’s curation tool is also invaluable for sharing the collection with audiences during lockdown.

‘Big Hitters’ includes around 30 artworks from the collection, spanning the 20th Century and showcasing some of the most popular pieces in the collection by the likes of David Bomberg, Howard Hodgkin and L.S. Lowry. Linda Kasmaty, the Chair of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, explained why the initiative is so important. She said:

“When we were asked if the Friends’ committee would like to mount a virtual exhibition, we thought what a fantastic way of getting the collection shown to a wider, online audience. Since the beginning of lockdown due to COVID-19, many people have spent more time online, and many museums and galleries have greatly increased their online presence. We’re hoping this exhibition will complement the ‘Art on Tour’ initiative which has been a tremendous success, connecting with many people, both those familiar with the Swindon collection, and those who did not know Swindon had such a collection.”

Councillor Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, Culture and Heritage, said: “Lockdown has really inspired us to come up with new and creative ways of showcasing our fantastic art collection here in Swindon and this latest exhibition is another fine example of that work.

“I would like to thank the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and ArtUK for their work in promoting these 30 wonderful artworks, and I’m sure it will be a big hit in keeping with its title!”

The exhibition will be available to view through ArtUK from Friday 3 July.

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is also thrilled to be included in the Great British Art Quiz, which is compiled by ArtUK and The Guardian. Visit The Guardian’s website and test your knowledge about Swindon’s art collection by taking this exciting quiz - https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/04/great-british-art-quiz-swindon-museum-art-gallery.

ENDS

Additional info:

Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is a charitable organisation committed to supporting Swindon Museum and Art Gallery via promotion and fundraising. Please visit their website for more information about their activity and membership - https://friendsofsmag.org/.

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is located on Bath Road, in Swindon’s Old Town. As well as holding a significant collection of modern British art, it is the home to important collections of local archaeology, geology and social history, as well as Egyptology. Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is closed until further notice, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Visit www.swindonmuseumandartgallery.org.uk for more information.

Art on Tour is a project dedicated to sharing Swindon’s art collection with more people in more places. A digital version of the project has been developed during lockdown – www.swindonmuseumandartgallery.org.uk/artontour.