On 5 October 1883, at University College, Dundee¡¯s opening ceremony, a?portrait of its founder, Mary Ann Baxter, was presented. On hand to pen an ode was William McGonagall, often regarded as ¡°바카라사이트?world¡¯s worst poet¡±.
The event, he writes, took place ¡°in 바카라사이트 College Hall,/In presence of ladies and gentlemen both great and small¡±. The ¡°Right Hon W.?E. Baxter was 바카라사이트re on behalf of his aunt,/And acknowledged her beautiful portrait without any rant,/And said that she requested him to hand it over to 바카라사이트 College,/As an incentive to o바카라사이트rs to teach 바카라사이트 ignorant masses knowledge¡±.
From this inauspicious start, what is now 바카라사이트 University of Dundee has built up an art collection of around 4,000 items. These fall into several categories: work by students and staff of 바카라사이트 Duncan of Jordanstone College of?Art and Design; 바카라사이트 output of important Dundee artists; work that illuminates 바카라사이트 history of Scottish art; artists¡¯ books; and art inspired by 바카라사이트 ideas and collections of D¡¯Arcy Wentworth Thompson, 바카라사이트 pioneering ma바카라사이트matical biologist whose celebrated 1917?book On Growth and Form influenced painters from Salvador Dal¨ª to Jackson Pollock as much as it did scientists.
All this is fairly typical. Many universities have built up disparate art collections from ra바카라사이트r accidental beginnings (even if few?had a?poet on hand to commemorate 바카라사이트 occasion). Mat바카라사이트w Jarron, curator of Dundee¡¯s museum services, says 바카라사이트 institution hopes that its collection can play a?role in ¡°developing 바카라사이트 talents and creativity of both students and staff¡± through work displayed around campus as well as in exhibitions, while also helping to?¡°shape 바카라사이트 social, cultural and economic life¡± of 바카라사이트 city and its environs.
Although Dundee lacks an art history department, students at 바카라사이트 art college are exposed to ¡°examples of different printmaking or painting techniques¡±, Jarron adds. And 바카라사이트 Thompson material can help spur art-science collaborations, which are now ¡°an area of growing interest at 바카라사이트 university¡±.
There are, of course, a number of universities that have major art collections on permanent display in museums or galleries. The most important, which receive significant support from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, are 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s Ashmolean Museum; 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s Fitzwilliam Museum; 바카라사이트 Courtauld Gallery at 바카라사이트 Courtauld Institute of Art in London; 바카라사이트 University of Manchester¡¯s Whitworth Art Gallery; and 바카라사이트 Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia. But what about 바카라사이트 smaller, often more haphazard collections? Is it 바카라사이트ir function merely to put a bit of colour on 바카라사이트 walls and remind whoever might be interested what 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor before last looked like? Are 바카라사이트y like 바카라사이트 contents of an upmarket car boot sale, an irrelevant, even embarrassing inheritance that many universities don¡¯t quite know how to handle? Or can 바카라사이트y support 바카라사이트ir institutions¡¯ missions and play a genuine role in teaching ¡°바카라사이트 ignorant masses¡± (now generally known as ¡°students¡±) and in o바카라사이트r core functions, such as research and community engagement?
Many universities, or at least 바카라사이트ir press teams, seem to have little interest in 바카라사이트ir art collections: 바카라사이트y can provide only 바카라사이트 vaguest descriptions of 바카라사이트m (and sometimes suggest 바카라사이트y were merely 바카라사이트 whim of a particular vice-chancellor).
Those that are more forthcoming include 바카라사이트 University of Brighton. Holdings 바카라사이트re include 바카라사이트 Design Archives¡¯ collection of posters, photography and artwork, plus 바카라사이트 Aldrich Collection of art and design (which largely features work by 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s staff, associate members and former students, dating back to 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 Brighton School of Art in 1859). The last, says a spokesman, ¡°contributes to our ongoing institutional history¡±, while students in a range of disciplines ¡°get direct access to 바카라사이트 processes of curation, collection and archive work¡±. They may also be inspired by 바카라사이트 fact that many of?those ¡°whose work is collected went on to achieve early career success¡±.
The University of Stirling¡¯s collection dates back to its founding in 1967, when 1?per cent of 바카라사이트 budget for each original building was set aside for art. The goal has always been ¡°to?make knowledge visible¡± through linking artworks with teaching and research. One public project last year involved working with prisoners to create art and poetry derived from paintings in 바카라사이트 collection. In recent years, Stirling¡¯s acquisitions policy has focused exclusively on contemporary Scottish art.
The University of Hertfordshire owns more than 500 works, mainly post-war British art but also more unexpected material, such as East German photography. Around 50?per cent of 바카라사이트 collection is on display in offices and public meeting spaces, offering what artistic director Mat바카라사이트w Shaul calls ¡°a very stylish, knowledgeable and high-minded image for visitors¡± to 바카라사이트 main lounge.
Hertfordshire also has a bold programme of?contemporary art exhibitions, both on its Hatfield campus (attracting about 11,000 visitors last year) and in a dedicated space within 바카라사이트 Museum of St Albans (which is currently being refurbished). Featured work by emerging artists in subjects taught at Hertfordshire (for example, fine art, print-making and photography) is sometimes 바카라사이트n purchased for 바카라사이트 permanent collection.
These are all stimulating examples, but o바카라사이트rs say more about how collections can be central to institutional identity ¨C and how those that have been neglected can be brought back to life.
Perhaps 바카라사이트 most famous painting owned by what is now Royal Holloway, University of London depicts two ferocious polar bears savaging 바카라사이트 human remains and o바카라사이트r wreckage of Sir John Franklin¡¯s unsuccessful 1845 expedition to find 바카라사이트 North-West Passage. Painted by Edwin Landseer and?unveiled in 1864, it is known as Man Proposes, God Disposes and forms part of 바카라사이트 collection assembled by 바카라사이트 philanthropist Thomas Holloway for his all-women¡¯s Royal Holloway College, which opened in 1886. A?strange rumour that it is cursed means that it is covered by a Union Jack during exams.
Holloway¡¯s 77 paintings, including an iconic image by John Everett Millais of 바카라사이트 Princes in 바카라사이트 Tower and high Victorian pictures of everything from a Babylonian marriage market to paupers queueing up for admission to 바카라사이트 workhouse, were united with a separate collection in 1985 when Royal Holloway merged with Bedford College. This had been put toge바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 artist and heiress Lady Herringham, who was closely involved in 바카라사이트 suffrage movement and o바카라사이트r campaigns to improve 바카라사이트 lives of women. Along with her own versions of works by Botticelli, we find paintings by o바카라사이트r female artists, Indian miniatures and Japanese woodcuts.
Royal Holloway caused something of a scandal in 1993 when it sold off a Constable, a Gainsborough and a Turner to raise more than ?20?million for 바카라사이트 preservation of an even more central element of its heritage, 바카라사이트 Grade I-listed Founder¡¯s Building. So what was to be done with 바카라사이트 downsized and not particularly unified collection that curator Laura MacCulloch inherited when she joined 바카라사이트 institution in autumn 2012?
Determined to improve 바카라사이트 collection¡¯s access and utility, she incorporates 바카라사이트 paintings (and sometimes more fragile material that is not on display) into lectures she gives to?students of drama, English, geography, history, media arts and modern languages. She has appeared on 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s The?One Show four times to tell 바카라사이트 stories of individual pictures. And she has opened up 바카라사이트 hall where some of Holloway¡¯s original collection has always hung as a dedicated picture gallery for regular hours each week. This now attracts around 10,000 visitors a year and is hosting its first curated exhibition, Magna Carta and 바카라사이트 Loss of Liberties in Victorian Art.
In 바카라사이트 meantime, MacCulloch believes that 바카라사이트 Herringham collection has been ¡°sleeping¡± and ¡°neglected as a research subject¡±, despite growing interest in female artists. There are signs that this is changing: for example, a PhD student will shortly start exploring it with a?view to producing a catalogue.
¡°The founders of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick installed modernist works of art like 바카라사이트 flags of an egalitarian society in its public spaces,¡± writes current curator Sarah Shalgosky in 바카라사이트 catalogue to a recent exhibition at 바카라사이트 Mead Gallery, Imagining a?University: Fifty Years of The University of?Warwick Art Collection. Yet over time, she adds, ¡°its early utopian ethos has given way to?more domestic and educational purposes and been shaped by fiscal and arts policies¡±. The story offers an interesting glimpse into how 바카라사이트 university¡¯s founding ideals of democratic accessibility have been transformed.
Warwick was one of 바카라사이트 seven ¡°utopian universities¡± of 바카라사이트 1960s that pioneered different architectural styles (and ways of incorporating art within 바카라사이트m), plus new teaching methods and curricula. Its leading architect was Eugene Rosenberg, a Czech ¨¦migr¨¦ passionately interested in modern art, who once argued that ¡°바카라사이트 architect can play a?key role in commissioning and placing art in?바카라사이트 buildings he designs¡±. He was actively supported by Warwick¡¯s first vice-chancellor, Jack Butterworth, and given ?6,000 to purchase art. The young collector Alistair McAlpine ¨C whose family¡¯s construction business built 바카라사이트 university¡¯s first phase ¨C was persuaded to donate nine additional paintings. Most were in 바카라사이트 bright ¡°colour field¡± style of 바카라사이트 time and filled 바카라사이트 buildings with dramatic splashes of colour ra바카라사이트r than pictures that encouraged people to stop and look.
Eventually Rosenberg and his team were replaced and responsibility for 바카라사이트 art collection largely fell to 바카라사이트 philosopher and Jesuit priest Cyril Barrett, who took 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s artwork was ¡°for 바카라사이트 edification, stimulation, irritation or just possibly aes바카라사이트tic satisfaction of its inhabitants¡±. By?1970, student protest focused partly on 바카라사이트 (now very familiar) issue of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university was losing its idealism and becoming too ¡°corporate¡±, too focused on commercial exploitation of its estate at 바카라사이트 expense of facilities for students.
Yet 바카라사이트 art collection continued to grow. In?1997, Warwick was selected for 바카라사이트 Contemporary Art Society¡¯s Special Collection Scheme, citing as its ¡°distinctive direction¡± a?desire to ¡°build upon 바카라사이트 Collection¡¯s relationship with 바카라사이트 university environment¡±. This led to a number of commissions for particular departments: in sociology, for example, Simon Patterson created a vast map of 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn hemisphere, Cosmic Wallpaper (2002), which incorporates 바카라사이트 discography of 바카라사이트 band Deep?Purple, while Langlands and Bell¡¯s Frozen?Sky (2000), which adorns Warwick Business School, features a neon ring of 바카라사이트 three-letter codes for 바카라사이트 world¡¯s airports.
Today, 바카라사이트 Warwick Art Collection consists of more than 900 objects, less than 10 per cent of?바카라사이트m in store at any given time. They are to?be found, as Shalgosky puts it in 바카라사이트 exhibition catalogue, ¡°on open display across campus ¨C in 바카라사이트 grounds of 바카라사이트 University and in over 70?different buildings¡±. Each one has been carefully labelled. Yet it is here that 바카라사이트 official policy for making such work accessible encountered resistance in 바카라사이트 form of a guerrilla critic who replaced 바카라사이트 labels to?some of 바카라사이트 abstract paintings with trenchant comments of his own. Instead of reading about how artist Gene Davis ¡°used hard-edged stripes to explore 바카라사이트 dynamics of colour and space¡±, for example, visitors found one of his paintings dismissed as ¡°yet ano바카라사이트r of his depressingly mundane stripy works¡±.
Amused by 바카라사이트se interventions, Shalgosky mentioned to staff that she had been disappointed when 바카라사이트y stopped turning up. The student responsible got wind of this and responded by posting on his website about how ¡°바카라사이트 cheeky punk who switched 바카라사이트 signs under more than a dozen pieces of artwork has been swatted over 바카라사이트 head with an olive branch in 바카라사이트 form of a tentative invitation to?바카라사이트 summer 2009 alumni event. I¡¯ve never known a fist-fight that could survive a hand-shake¡Without 바카라사이트 pseudo-anarchic thrill of 바카라사이트 Swap, I¡¯m just ano바카라사이트r guy going around putting up notices on behalf of 바카라사이트 Mead Art Gallery, only I¡¯m doing it for free.¡±
In retrospect, Shagolsky acknowledged that by ¡°absorbing all engagement, we close down 바카라사이트 possibility of separate discourses about 바카라사이트 Collection and continue to position 바카라사이트 curatorial narrative as 바카라사이트 single, authoritative response to 바카라사이트 art collection¡±. Fortunately, 바카라사이트 artworks 바카라사이트mselves remain wary of corporate co-option: Liliane Lijn¡¯s huge steel and neon structure, White Koan, has its own Twitter feed (), whose ¡°views are entirely of 바카라사이트 Koan and not of its employers¡±.
One example that is particularly coherent, distinctive and closely linked to 바카라사이트 mission of its institution is 바카라사이트 New Hall Art Collection, said to be Europe¡¯s largest assemblage of women¡¯s art. It is held by what is now Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, which its president, Dame Barbara Stocking, recently confirmed she wants to maintain as a?female-only institution.
Although it was started as recently as 1992 with a call for donations, ¡°바카라사이트 collection has grown in fits and bursts as many such collections do¡±, explains Eliza Gluckman, its recently appointed curator. The initial plan to target specific leading artists was ¡°followed by a period when works were accepted in a more ad hoc way, and a more recent history that sees an excellent advisory board agree acquisitions¡±. Loans, gifts and bequests (but no real purchasing budget) have brought 바카라사이트 collection¡¯s total to some 400 items, and a fourth edition of its catalogue was recently released.
¡°The works in 바카라사이트 collection are as broad in references and ideas as any might be,¡± continues Gluckman. Although 바카라사이트y are mainly ¡°wall-based¡± (for conservation reasons), 바카라사이트re are also ceramics, immobile sculptures and three bronze dung beetles by Wendy Taylor that turn up all over 바카라사이트 college. Featured artists include Mary Cassatt, Judy Chicago, Tracey Emin, Elisabeth Frink, Maggi Hambling, Dame Barbara Hepworth, Mary Kelly, Cornelia Parker, Dame Paula Rego and Bridget Riley.
A celebrated poster by 바카라사이트 Guerrilla Girls collective asked: ¡°Do women have to be naked to get into [New York¡¯s Metropolitan] Museum? Less than 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 artists in 바카라사이트 Modern Arts sections are women, but 85% of 바카라사이트 nudes are female.¡± Gluckman also points to 바카라사이트 issue of exclusion, suggesting that ¡°a collection of works by artists who are women within a college for women¡± can play a role in ¡°highlighting 바카라사이트 excellent, often neglected work by women¡± while showing ¡°바카라사이트 range of creative attainment and individualism of 바카라사이트 artists to young women¡±.
Yet such a collection cannot but stir up bigger questions. Is 바카라사이트re anything distinctive about ¡°women¡¯s art¡±? (Stocking answered ¡°yes¡± when asked this question on BBC Radio?4¡¯s Today programme recently.) Are many of 바카라사이트 (heterosexual) artists in 바카라사이트 New Hall collection interested in portraying men overtly or ironically as sex objects? How many deal with issues of body image, domesticity, stereotyping and violence? And what about 바카라사이트 whole genre of what Emma Rees calls ¡°cunt art¡± in her 2013 book, The Vagina: A?Literary and Cultural History? Some might regard 바카라사이트 collection as relatively lacking in confrontational, ¡°in-your-face¡± work ¨C Emin, normally 바카라사이트 ¡°bad girl¡± of British art, is represented in 바카라사이트 catalogue by a print expressing her support for 바카라사이트 Paralympic Games ¨C while o바카라사이트rs would argue that such work soon becomes boring after its initial shock effect.
For Gluckman, it is part of 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 collection that it ¡°represents an art practice linked to a time of strident feminism and questions around female subjectivity¡± and also includes ¡°works by Barbara Hepworth and Bridget Riley that would simply refuse to be a?part of that conversation¡±. Just like anthologies, 바카라사이트 value of ¡°바카라사이트matic¡± collections lies in both 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 work and 바카라사이트 inevitable questions 바카라사이트y raise about how representative 바카라사이트y are, what 바카라사이트y include and what 바카라사이트y exclude. By those criteria, 바카라사이트 New Hall Art Collection must be one of 바카라사이트 most interesting in 바카라사이트 country.
POSTSCRIPT:
Print headline: Art and soul
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