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Private art goes public in trailblazing Sheffield show Private art goes public in trailblazing Sheffield show
(about 3 hours later)
A pioneering art project has begun in Sheffield, bringing works from the collections of four international private art collectors into the public galleries and spaces across the city.A pioneering art project has begun in Sheffield, bringing works from the collections of four international private art collectors into the public galleries and spaces across the city.
The city-wide exhibition, titled Going Public, has seen rarely displayed pieces by artists such as Marcel Duchamp, the Chapman brothers and Sol LeWitt, all belonging to European collectors, displayed in the university, library, galleries and even the cathedral of Sheffield.The city-wide exhibition, titled Going Public, has seen rarely displayed pieces by artists such as Marcel Duchamp, the Chapman brothers and Sol LeWitt, all belonging to European collectors, displayed in the university, library, galleries and even the cathedral of Sheffield.
The project is the first of its kind in the UK, championing how philanthropy can work with the public sector to ensure the continued survival and flourishing of culture, in the face of cuts to arts funding.The project is the first of its kind in the UK, championing how philanthropy can work with the public sector to ensure the continued survival and flourishing of culture, in the face of cuts to arts funding.
Each venue plays host to works by a different collector involved in the partnership. Up until December, Sheffield Cathedral will be home to numerous works from the collection of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, an Italian who began collecting contemporary art in 1992.Each venue plays host to works by a different collector involved in the partnership. Up until December, Sheffield Cathedral will be home to numerous works from the collection of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, an Italian who began collecting contemporary art in 1992.
Far from choosing small and retiring works for the cathedral that could merge into the ecclesiastical decor, the dean, Peter Bradley, said he had selected works that would both make an impact and work in direct dialogue with the religious setting.Far from choosing small and retiring works for the cathedral that could merge into the ecclesiastical decor, the dean, Peter Bradley, said he had selected works that would both make an impact and work in direct dialogue with the religious setting.
This includes a vast political tapestry by Turner-nominated artist Goshka Macuga, which is draped high over the aisle, and depicts the faces of the G20 leaders as well as boats full of refugees.This includes a vast political tapestry by Turner-nominated artist Goshka Macuga, which is draped high over the aisle, and depicts the faces of the G20 leaders as well as boats full of refugees.
“Sheffield only attracts a small proportion of national grants and we have to find new ways of working to keep a lively engagement with contemporary art in the city,” said Bradley. “We are interested in the meaning of contemporary art in the light of the Christian faith. Many cathedrals commission pieces of contemporary music or significant pieces of contemporary art and we wanted to take that dialogue a little bit further and consider whether art, that is in no way conventionally Christian, can speak in a Christian environment in a new way.”“Sheffield only attracts a small proportion of national grants and we have to find new ways of working to keep a lively engagement with contemporary art in the city,” said Bradley. “We are interested in the meaning of contemporary art in the light of the Christian faith. Many cathedrals commission pieces of contemporary music or significant pieces of contemporary art and we wanted to take that dialogue a little bit further and consider whether art, that is in no way conventionally Christian, can speak in a Christian environment in a new way.”
Other works on display include video pieces by Douglas Gordon and Fiona Tan, and most controversially, the Cyber Bionic Man sculpture by the Chapman brothers, which is a mutilated mannequin hanging upside down and plugged into a hose of blood which continually spurts down. The work has been placed in a chapel in front of a bronze depicting St Sebastian and other Christian martyrs holding the instruments of their torture. Other works on display include video pieces by Douglas Gordon and Fiona Tan, and most controversially, the Cyber Iconic Man sculpture by the Chapman brothers, which is a mutilated mannequin hanging upside down and plugged into a hose of blood which continually spurts down. The work has been placed in a chapel in front of a bronze depicting St Sebastian and other Christian martyrs holding the instruments of their torture.
Bradley said the piece was about questioning why we are so desensitised to these images of violence that churches are actually full of, yet we see controversial pieces by artists such as the Chapman brothers as gratuitous. The response among his congregation, added Bradley, had been both “cautious and questioning”.Bradley said the piece was about questioning why we are so desensitised to these images of violence that churches are actually full of, yet we see controversial pieces by artists such as the Chapman brothers as gratuitous. The response among his congregation, added Bradley, had been both “cautious and questioning”.
“Some of the pieces do have a very particular resonance in Sheffield,” he added. “Sheffield more than any other of the core cities has fewer women in leadership roles and more women are recipients of violence in the home, and I think the Fiona Tan, with its extraordinarily powerful images of young girls deciding to become adult women, will speak powerfully in our city. And it is also the case with the Goshka Macuga tapestry, which speaks directly into a major national debate around migrants and is a piece that cannot be avoided in this cathedral.”“Some of the pieces do have a very particular resonance in Sheffield,” he added. “Sheffield more than any other of the core cities has fewer women in leadership roles and more women are recipients of violence in the home, and I think the Fiona Tan, with its extraordinarily powerful images of young girls deciding to become adult women, will speak powerfully in our city. And it is also the case with the Goshka Macuga tapestry, which speaks directly into a major national debate around migrants and is a piece that cannot be avoided in this cathedral.”
The four-month exhibition has been the fruit of four years work for Mark Doyle, former head of the Contemporary Art Society, and Sebastien Montabonel, a specialist in contemporary art who has worked with both collectors and museums. The pair said they believed that in the difficult funding climate, finding ways to involve philanthropy and private collectors in the realm of public art was essential, and said the conversations generated by Going Public were already proving fruitful for the arts world in Sheffield going forward.The four-month exhibition has been the fruit of four years work for Mark Doyle, former head of the Contemporary Art Society, and Sebastien Montabonel, a specialist in contemporary art who has worked with both collectors and museums. The pair said they believed that in the difficult funding climate, finding ways to involve philanthropy and private collectors in the realm of public art was essential, and said the conversations generated by Going Public were already proving fruitful for the arts world in Sheffield going forward.
Montabonel said: “One of the goals was really to connect to the local community, which was why we were so broad in the sites we chose, and open it up to a broad range of people who might not otherwise encounter this art. We are only showing a tiny fraction of each of these collections but the impact they are going to have is going to be extremely powerful, both visually and politically. I still think we underestimate the power of art.”Montabonel said: “One of the goals was really to connect to the local community, which was why we were so broad in the sites we chose, and open it up to a broad range of people who might not otherwise encounter this art. We are only showing a tiny fraction of each of these collections but the impact they are going to have is going to be extremely powerful, both visually and politically. I still think we underestimate the power of art.”
The four collectors involved – Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Egidio Marzona, Nicolas Cattelain and Dominique and Sylvain Levy – were approached by Doyle and Montabonel on the basis of previous philanthropic and publicly minded projects they had been involved in in the past.The four collectors involved – Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Egidio Marzona, Nicolas Cattelain and Dominique and Sylvain Levy – were approached by Doyle and Montabonel on the basis of previous philanthropic and publicly minded projects they had been involved in in the past.
Other exhibitions on as part of Going Public include a multimedia show of contemporary Chinese artists, whose work examines the changes and ideology of modern China and which has never been displayed in the UK; an exhibition of work, posters and almanacs by Marcel Duchamp and other important surrealists; and select pieces of seminal minimalist works from the 1970s by artists such as Sol LeWitt and Lewis Baltz.Other exhibitions on as part of Going Public include a multimedia show of contemporary Chinese artists, whose work examines the changes and ideology of modern China and which has never been displayed in the UK; an exhibition of work, posters and almanacs by Marcel Duchamp and other important surrealists; and select pieces of seminal minimalist works from the 1970s by artists such as Sol LeWitt and Lewis Baltz.
A free summit will also be happening in October where all the collectors, alongside figures such as culture minister Ed Vaizey, the Duke of Devonshire and John Orna-Ornstein, director of museums at the Arts Council, will be discussing how public art galleries and philanthropists can work together.A free summit will also be happening in October where all the collectors, alongside figures such as culture minister Ed Vaizey, the Duke of Devonshire and John Orna-Ornstein, director of museums at the Arts Council, will be discussing how public art galleries and philanthropists can work together.
“It feels amazing to see four years of work come to life,” added Doyle. “We both feel quite strongly that those future conversations around public institutions and philanthropists and the private sector, especially outside the major cultural capitals, need to happen. So hopefully this will establish a legacy in the city.”“It feels amazing to see four years of work come to life,” added Doyle. “We both feel quite strongly that those future conversations around public institutions and philanthropists and the private sector, especially outside the major cultural capitals, need to happen. So hopefully this will establish a legacy in the city.”