When thinking of a title for the Friend's exhibition, we felt we couldn't improve on Sir Kenneth Clark's comments over 50 years ago when he said 'They take art seriously in Swindon'. We reflected on this in the Museum and Art website write up of our exhibition. I thought it was worth going a bit further into how this phrase has been used as recently as 2012 when the Public Catalogue Foundation photographed the Swindon Collection of 20th Century art. An exhibition was held then titled 'They take Art Seriously in Swindon' opened by the Patron of the Public Catalogue Foundation: then HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla.
The booklet accompanying the exhibition had this cover:
Monteiro, Vicente de Rego, 1899-1970, Tennis (detail) 1928
Unsure why a Brazilian artist's painting was chosen for the front cover
and the following on the first page:
''I am frequently asked the question ''What has the Public Catalogue Foundation discovered?'' Of course we have discovered nothing. All we can hope to do is to rediscover what previous generations knew about, loved and respected and which the present generation has lost.
Losing sight of these collections and their contents can happen very quickly. Sir Kenneth Clarke made his remark ''They take art seriously in Swindon'' less than 50 years ago. Yet, when the Gloucester and Wiltshire catalogue was launched in the summer of last year it was clear that very few people knew of the Swindon Art Gallery or the extraordinary quality of its collection of paintings by twentieth century British artists.
The loss of the Swindon Art Gallery would be tragic!
Today's visit therefore, to Swindon Art Gallery by the Patron of the Public Catalogue Foundation, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, is particularly welcome. I very much hope that it will inspire a re-discovery of the gallery and its rich collection of paintings.
It deserves never to be forgotten.''
We would all echo that sentiment, hence the name for the exhibition, bringing some of the favourite works on show again for the first time in at least 5 years.
'Seriously ...' is not the only art exhibition coming to MAS. There is also an exhibition entitled 'A Very British Art Revolution' Rebellion and reaction in the early 20th century from 11th March to 5 July in one of the large galleries.
Here are 2 posters advertising both exhibitions with their dates:
Plus if you are a member of the Friends, you will be invited to a private view to celebrate the opening of both exhibitions. Exciting eh?
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