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Gallery Re-Hang
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This presentation offers a virtual tour of the Ferens...
Modern & Contemporary gallery
...and how we put the display together.
Curated by Future Ferens
November-December 2019
We would encourage viewers to move through the presentation using the arrows below.
Introducing the project
Our first steps as curators...
In November 2019 we came together as a group to create a new display of the Ferens permanent collection of modern and contemporary art. This would be exhibited in 'Gallery 9', one of the larger rectangular galleries off the Ferens Centre Court.
This was a great collaborative experience as a team! In our initial meeting in the gallery we learned about the project and got to know each other. Coming from different backgrounds we had different perspectives and different reasons for joining Future Ferens. We met once a week for 6 weeks and worked individually from home in between.
Beginnings
Our first meeting
Our first meeting
Initially we introduced ourselves, and walked around the rooms in order to get an idea of what we wanted to achieve with the Modern and Contemporary Gallery. The temporary exhibition, Reflection: British Art in an Age of Change, was a good source of inspiration. We explored connections and relationships between artworks, the layout and remarked on the way the sculptures greeted you as you entered the gallery. We wanted many of these details to flow into our display.
Looking at the existing display we used green and red Post-it notes to identify works that we did or did not instantly relate to. Green indicated works to keep, red were works to change. Some works we all agreed on, while others got a mixed response. This exercise gave us a starting point to work from and a chance to become more familiar with each other and the space.
Our Group
OUR Group
Our personal interests were an influence in the selection process which led to several themes being represented within the exhibition. We did have a few people who came for one or two sessions but the group eventually settled on the five of us below...
Jess- I am a historian, and I was interested in the historical context of the gallery and of the artwork. This influenced my preference for certain works.
Tom- As a first-year art student, I was interested in the process behind displays and the conversations that galleries can create.
Pat- I am a history graduate and worked at the Gallery. This made me inquisitive about the process and excited at the opportunity to work with some of my favourite works of art.
Maria- My interest in art has developed while studying for a Fine Art Degree and the whole process of curating an exhibition was an exciting opportunity, in particular, learning about artists that I had previously not heard of.
Luke- I got involved because I have been involved with the Ferens for a long time and I wanted to see how things went with this project.
Our Long list
Our Long list
We worked with a long list of artworks in the Ferens collection that fit into the modern and contemporary period. Some of these were already displayed and others we saw in the art stores. The list also included works on display in the temporary exhibition gallery. These artworks were collated in one document so we could contemplate them together.
Deciding a theme was our first objective and we quickly realised that this was dependent on the artworks chosen from our long list. Initially we picked artworks that we personally responded to. We sat, considered and deliberated each piece, eliminating those that did not fit our vision.
The extensive and plentiful list allowed for greater creativity when choosing themes for the gallery and finally decisions were made.
the selection process
Creating the display
There were many factors to consider when selecting work to display. How many works would fit in the space? Would the room feel too busy? Some pieces we liked were very large and selecting them would have meant losing other smaller works. In addition, we had to consider the strength of the floor when positioning the sculptures, the condition of frames and mounts on pictures and how long existing exhibits had been on display.
We had to take into consideration the fragility of some artworks. This was a particular consideration for 'Poke' which has now been on display for a number of months, and due to sensitivity to light needs to be rested.
Our Decisions
Our Decisions
Eventually we narrowed down our choices and several themes started to emerge. These themes led to clusters of works and some works were reinstated as they now fitted well into a cluster.
The initial groupings revolved loosely around themes of underrepresented female artists, artists with local connections and works that demonstrated different mediums. We had been inspired by the works-on-paper in the Reflection exhibition and were keen to include works that for a variety of reasons are less frequently displayed in the gallery.
It is important to mention that the themes we developed were in no way rigid. Our gallery wasn't to have a set meaning or indeed a route for visitors to follow.
Some notes taken during our meetings
Installation
Installation
We made final layout decisions when the selected works were assembled in the gallery. Seeing everything together made this much easier...
Our Interpretation Panels
Our interpretation
Gallery displays usually feature information labels beside the artworks. These provide details such as the title, year and artist as well as relevant biographical notes. They form a key part of the gallery 'interpretation', the term used by museum professionals.
We all agreed that this text needed to be short and accessible to engage the viewer and encourage them to think about the artwork. This was given priority over lengthy historical information. Another device we wanted to use was asking questions in a fun and informal way.
We each selected a couple of artworks to research and write labels for. We then collaborated to edit and finalise them. Due to the short time frame some existing Ferens labels were also used.
Below are some examples of our labels...
Labels
Ron MUECK b. Melbourne 1958
Poke 2017
Mixed media
There was never a doubt but that ‘Poke’ would take pride of place at the centre of our display. The sculpture is a favourite with regular visitors. In creating the work Mueck was responding to the energy and enthusiasm he encountered when he visited Hull in 2016. He sought to capture this spirit by making ‘a work that had a distinct sense of looking forward and striving for something.’
‘Poke’ is uncannily realistic, yet the size contradicts this and makes us smile. Is the artist poking fun at the viewer, at himself or at the world in general?
Purchased with Art Fund support (2017).
Jacqueline STIEGER b. London 1936
Maquette for ‘Orb’ 1987
Bronze
A painter might make a sketch, where a sculptor makes a maquette.
A maquette is an idea for something – a test. The idea grows, gets bigger.
You can see the finished sculpture that grew out of this small maquette on the corner of Freetown Way and Percy Street in Hull.
What is the ‘Orb’? Something spherical, something round. Is it an eye? Is it a planet?
Received as part of a commission (1987).
Another collaborative effort was writing the main panel. Here we provided an overview of the whole project.
We used a reusable picture frame and printed our text on paper instead of producing a foam-board panel that couldn't be used again.
Main Panel
the Modern and Contemporary gallery
gallery
Here is a video and some photos of the completed gallery. What relationships can you see between the works?
Reflections
Reflections
Moving into 2020 and we had planned to give a tour of our Modern and Contemporary gallery display. Unfortunately, this couldn't go ahead due to the Coronavirus lockdown. We decided to produce a digital tour instead. Naturally, present circumstances came into our reflections on the project.
Putting together an online tour
Moving
Online
Producing an online tour presented a new challenge. The Ferens Art Gallery, like all galleries across the country had closed its doors, not only to visitors, but also to the people who work at the Gallery. As a group, we had found it quite easy to work together in the gallery but now we were having to collaborate remotely. At first, this was quite difficult and frustrating, but we found ways to do it.
Digital and online content offers a totally different way of experiencing art. We analysed the way other art galleries have adapted displays and exhibitions to be presented online. There were many different ways to present our tour. This presentation allowed our group to have equal input and the ability to edit every section together.
JEss
Jess
I thoroughly enjoyed the more technical aspects of lighting, hanging and placing the sculptures. It was interesting to tie up all the work we had done, deciding to have fewer pieces in the gallery so the walls weren't too busy. Adapting an online presentation during lockdown was interesting.
The pieces I chose to discuss when planning our original tour are actually displayed in the early 20th century gallery. In choosing them, I wanted to provide some context to the development of modern art, before focusing on the later 20th century and contemporary works that the others on the team will discuss.
Meredith Frampton (1894-1984), A Game of Patience, 1937
A Game of Patience
Questions for thought:
What would you do if you didn’t have a phone in your pocket to capture those special moments?
Would you like to have a painting made of you or your family?
Frampton was the only child of the sculptor Sir George Frampton and had learnt to speak French in Geneva. As a soldier in WW1 he sketched out enemy trenches, and interpreted aerial photographs. He received two commissions from the War Artist’s Advisory Committee during WW2 based on his standing as a notable, but obscure portrait painter in the interwar period.
Frampton painted in a neo-classical, hyper-realistic style, with flawless technique. He worked during the Great Depression, and was not taken seriously by superiors as his eyesight worsened. This led him to believe that he would die in obscurity.
He did not exhibit at a commercial level, and did not often show his paintings in public. Tate's retrospective exhibition in 1982 restored his standing.
Frampton's model is Margaret Austin-Jones, previously painted in his 1935 Portrait of a Young Woman. Portraits during this period were usually for middle and upper-class people, like the Crawley family in Downton Abbey. Though cameras were becoming more accessible, but not as common as today.
The portrait shows Austin-Jones well-dressed, wearing a respectful outfit with a high neckline. This is before women regularly wore trousers, which became more common during World War Two. We can tell that she is in day wear by the simple hair and jewellery.
She appears to be the game leader, remaining patient while managing the other players. She is not revealing anything about her cards, her face neutral. It is not clear how many others are playing, but she may be conversing with someone outside the space of the picture. I myself do not know how to play A Game of Patience. Portraits are often neutral and simple, but this shows an active game.
Seen through the window, the landscape, which appears to be a farm, suggests that she is friends of or related to the owner, as she sits on the front porch playing cards. The fruit may be a snack, or may be decorative.
These are inferences from the painting with no other context provided for the scene. As a historian, portraits provide a snapshot in time, in this case of a wealthy family, shown by the well-dressed lady, the house and the setting.
Stanley Spencer (1891-1959), Greenhouse and Garden, 1937
Greenhouse and Garden
Is the garden or greenhouse a special place for you or for a family member? Has the garden been an escape during the Coronavirus lockdown ? Has art become an escape?
Spencer was a visionary. Eccentric and independent, he often caused controversy and shock. He was influenced by his native town and created biblical scenes of Cookham-on-Thames, where he saw God in everything. He started painting to earn money after splitting with his second partner and in hiding. He did not fight in the First World War 1 due to his poor physique but joined the ambulance service. During the 1920’s he worked on possible memorial schemes.
Some of his other paintings include nude portraits of his wife Patricia Preece (although their marriage was unconsummated), as well as a double nude of himself and Preece.
This painting presents a carefully constructed, serene, garden scene.
The picture is dominated by a string of onions, which are significant as onions are regularly used in cooking and commonly grown and stored in gardens. It is an everyday scene showing conventional plants. I found this normalcy interesting. It's a scene many people today can still recognise. This contrasts with the well-to-do scene of Meredith Frampton’s A Game of Patience, by focusing on someone's back garden.
Here Spencer uses dull and dark colours, with flashes of brighter colours, to convey the subtle ordinariness of the private haven that is a person’s garden. That said, the building on the right is most likely the home of a middle class family, for many poor people may struggle to afford houses with gardens.
Pat
&
Pat
I really enjoyed the opportunity to be able to take part in this process as it is not an opportunity that comes often. I enjoyed the selection of the works and organising how we would display them. This was more challenging than first anticipated when undertaking the project.
There is a great sense of pride and achievement that we created this together and having our own written labels for the public to appreciate.
The Exhibition
The Exhibition - Kenneth Fowler - 1983
Fowler is an East Yorkshire artist who succeeded in having his work purchased by the Ferens Art Gallery for the permanent collection. The timing of bringing this painting back into the gallery coincided with the annual Open Exhibition that usually takes place from January to April. It is a playful scene in which a local artist paints the Open Exhibition featuring local artists.
The painting itself depicts numerous popular works in the Ferens collection, ones that frequent visitors would easily recognise from their observations around the other galleries. What makes this painting so special is how it is designed to closely resemble the Open Exhibition with paintings assembled in a similar fashion accompanied by the bustling crowds on the preview evening. Fowler has applied delicate and meticulous detail in recreating each of the paintings featured, such as Gillian Wearing's Self Portrait as My Uncle, Bryan Gregory, John Kirby's Man with a Rat and Wyndham Lewis's self portrait 'as a Tyro'.
Smoke screen
Smoke screen - Thérèse Oulton - 1989
Thérèse Oulton was born in 1953 in Shropshire, England and had previously been nominated for the Turner prize in 1987. This should be considered a fantastic achievement, particularly as Oulton was only the second woman to have been nominated for the prize since its inaugural competition in 1984 with the 21 others being men.
Smoke Screen was commissioned during a decade of artistic movements focusing on identity, sexuality and transgressive art. Oulton however, remained true to the abstract style she has become renowned for. Smoke Screen encompasses numerous large swirls and arc shaped patterns which can be perceived and interpreted differently. Some may see a resemblance to a Christmas tree with the sweeping arcs that characterise branches protruding out, or perhaps a Japanese Tenshu. These two potential source objects suggest that abstractions evolve from the natural or visible world, but what do you see?
The stone colour that sweeps across the painting can also be viewed in a variety of ways. It is possible that it is used to hide or obscure the main body of the work, like mist settling at the bottom of a mountain, enticing us to look again and wonder what it is covering.
WOODMAN/UGLOW and awkward positions
Tom
Here I compare the work in our display by Francesca Woodman and Euan Uglow.
Tom
These works are placed side by side in the display. Hopefully I can show how they work together.
Posing
In the interpretation panels we made reference to the poses. For Woodman we asked: are you putting enough effort into your selfies? And for Uglow we asked visitors to put themselves in the same position as the curled nude. It is really difficult to sit in these positions for a long time. Woodman is doing this to herself - Uglow is putting someone else in that pose.
The figures are exposed and vulnerable.
But we also know that both of these works show highly planned compositions.
How does this make the viewer feel?
In lockdown, it feels like we too have been put into some awkward and different positions.
Long Exposures
In her photographs, Woodman uses long exposures. This is where the shutter of the camera stays open longer than normal. Her figure is blurred because she is moving while the shutter stays open. This length of time gives a less precise image. It gives the photo an eerie quality.
Uglow is known for working on his paintings over a long period of time. The model in the painting had to sit for the portrait for a year. The duration of a year allows the figure to be more precise and the composition more accurate.
Personal Reflection
MARIA
&
Maria
Being involved with this project was an exciting opportunity. Not many people can say that they were responsible (partly!) for the choice of artworks on display in a well known art gallery. I feel privileged to have seen behind the scenes and to have had such direct involvement. I was surprised at how much consideration goes into the selection process. It is not just choose the ones you like and off you go! Looking at a theme for the exhibition was challenging as it had to flow on from the rest of the gallery. At this point I started to realise that selecting individual pieces was going to be more difficult than I had anticipated.
Poke
Poke & The Laugh
Poke, a contemporary sculpture created by Ron Mueck for Hull City of Culture 2017, had to be included in this exhibition.
When it was first exhibited in the SKINS exhibition it attracted lots of attention from visitors. I think that Poke has a special place in the hearts of the people of Hull because it was made especially for the city. Ron Mueck said that after visiting Hull he wanted to create a work that had a “distinct sense of looking forward and striving for something”. This is also relevant today as we are all looking forward to the end of lockdown and working towards a better future.
Poke is amazingly lifelike down to every detail including hairs and the pores of the skin. It is only his tiny size that is at odds with the hyperrealism of this work. You can’t fail to smile at his determined, chubby little body.
The Laugh
Poke & The Laugh
Another artwork that intentionally makes you smile is Maggi Hambling’s etching, The Laugh. The bold, vibrant colours appear to be bubbling up across the page like infectious laughter. In an interview Maggi Hambling said “there are people who don’t laugh. I tend to avoid them”. That sounds to me like a good idea!
Personally, I enjoy art that makes me happy. For me, it is there to lift a mood, raise the spirits. This is why I am glad that we chose to include both these works in the contemporary exhibition. Before leaving the gallery a last look at Poke is guaranteed to make me smile.
LUKE
Luke
I have found it interesting to see how this project has developed. While I was at many of the meetings at the gallery, I haven't been able to contribute as much to the online presentation due to technological limitations.
Some of the installation photos were taken by myself.
Clive Barker
Clive Barker - Study of Francis Bacon No. 7
What I initially found interesting about this sculpture by Clive Barker was the camera, since as a photographer, I liked the look from a historical perspective, as it was a bellows camera. Taking some time to look at it and pay attention to some of the details, a couple of metaphors could be interpreted about the piece, though they are likely seen through a perspective of our modern times.
Firstly is that the camera is merged with the person's face and their eyes are shut, giving the impression that the person is viewing the whole world through the camera, and never directly with their own eyes. With our modern technology, it often seems like many people wonder through life with their faces attached to their iPhone or some other electronic device.
And perhaps with a loose enough interpretation, it could be viewed as vaguely cyberpunk, the merging of flesh with technology, creating something other than human.
Round-up
list of works...
list of works continued
Afterword ...
Reflection by Leonie, our project mentor
It was a true pleasure to work with Jess, Luke, Maria, Pat and Tom to create a new display of the Ferens modern and contemporary collection during the closing months of 2019. Their enthusiasm and commitment to the project, their insights, generosity and good humour made it a positive and enjoyable experience. As five people from different backgrounds who didn’t know each other, they formed a strong collaborative relationship, opening up to one another from the first session in the gallery. Each brought to the task a questioning mind, a willingness to listen and respond, to look closely and to take risks. As individuals and a group, they were attentive to the artworks and the artist’s voice, exploring relationships, questioning meanings, and ensuring that these were never lost in conversations and decisions.
Afterword continued ...
Creating the display and interpretation was a fluid process, involving group discussion, individual work and reflection, and many hours collaborating to refine and work out the details. As the planned physical tour in the Gallery in April 2020 could not take place due to the Coronavirus lockdown and closure of Ferens, we decided that a virtual tour was the way to go. Through the long months of spring and early summer 2020, the Future Ferens team revisited their display remotely, experimented with digital platforms, and in late summer produced this wonderful digital resource, thereby giving their curatorial project an extended run. Their virtual tour enables wider audiences to visit the Modern and Contemporary Gallery from the comfort of home, and to understand the processes and motivations underpinning the project.
Afterword continued...
The Future Ferens gallery display presents collection highlights and firm visitor favourites (Mueck, Paolozzi, Uglow, Newsome and Douthwaite) alongside quieter, less well-known works, including some stunning prints (Hambling, Chadwick, Oulton) and drawings (Chamberlain and Pettenuzzo). We are invited to contemplate intimate small sculptures (Steiger, Scobie, Tilson and Barker) and the enigmatic black and white photographs of Francesca Woodman. And there's a strong contingent of local artists and Hull connections (Fowler, Knight, Chamberlain, Parry, Steiger and Gallaccio). The display includes several overlapping themes – the figure in confined space, landscape into abstraction, hybrid and robotic figures, sculptural sketches, fantasy, entertainment and play, and more conceptual works from the 1990s including Cross’s film.
Afterword continued
It covers the period from the end of the 1950s to 2017, with a strong representation of works created in the 1970s and 1980s. Women and men are equally represented in the selection of artists.
I would like to extend my gratitude to the Future Ferens Modern and Contemporary gallery team for their impressive curation and for sharing their journey as curators in the virtual tour. Their project highlights the significant role Future Ferens plays in helping the Gallery realise its ambition to facilitate and represent the voices and interests of young people in exhibitions and programming. A big thank you also to the Ferens technicians, who as always played a key part in helping to realise the curators’ vision.
About Future Ferens
Future Ferens is the Gallery’s programme for young people interested in art and creativity. Since its founding in 2006, members have come together on projects to explore ideas and issues that matter most to them through the lens of art, to build connections, and to find their individual and collective voices. Future Ferens offers members an insight into how museums and galleries operate by working alongside curators, learning officers and other members of the Ferens team. Different cohorts of Future Ferens have played key roles in exhibitions, interpretation, learning activities and communication, helping to make Ferens more relevant and accessible to young people.
Thank you...
We would like to thank you for taking our virtual tour!
If you have any comments then please let us know in the section below or get in touch via social media. You can use the hashtag #futureferens.
Maria, Luke, Jess, Tom and Pat