Appointments

The Chair and a committee of Trustees at National Galleries of Scotland are in search of a new Director-General. Sir John Leighton, who has been Director General since 2006, will step down in February 2024. Leighton said it was “the right time” to hand over to new leadership as major projects conclude.

Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland to step down

The SS Great Britain Trust, which runs the museum and visitor attraction in Bristol, has announced three new appointments. Iona Keen joins theTrust as Head of Interpretation, and brings experience from English Heritage, Bath Preservation Trust, the National Gallery, Salisbury Cathedral, the V&A and the British Museum. Simon Strain takes on the newly created position of Head of Living History, having worked at the Trust for twelve years. Dr Kate Rambridge moves to a new position of Head of Albion Dockyard Interpretation, a role that is set to shape and plan the conservation and development of this major capital project.

Openings

The Vagina Museum has launched a crowdfund for its next London location. The museum is hoping to raise £30,000 to assist with its move and running costs as it searches for its third permanent location.

Vagina Museum launches crowdfund for next London location

Exhibitions

Forgeries of painted masterpieces, originally thought to be the work of artists including Sandro Botticelli, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, John Constable and Auguste Rodin, are to go on display at The Courtauld this summer, as part of a new display of fakes from its collection. Runs 17 June – 8 October 2023.

The first UK museum exhibition by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm comes to Yorkshire Sculpture Park later this year (pictured above). ‘Trap of the Truth’ will feature more than 100 works, including 55 sculptures indoors, 19 sculptures in the landscape, paintings, photographs, videos and drawings created over 30 years of the artist’s career. Several works will be shown for the first time. Clare Lilley, Director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park said “Erwin Wurm’s sculpture will be a riot of expression and colour against the green Yorkshire landscape and in the galleries”. Runs 10 June 2023 – 28 April 2024

The mathematics embedded in work by the Victorian ceramic designer William De Morgan will be the focus of a new exhibition at Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery. On display will be 70 pots, tiles and vases from the De Morgan Collection, unearthing the mathematical principles underpinning colourful and elaborate designs. ‘Sublime Symmetry: The Mathematics behind De Morgan’s Designs’ runs 20 May 2023 – 10 September 2023

An exhibition featuring the artistic collaborations of teenage artist Noah, also known as @background_bob online, returns to Firstsite in Colchester. The third and final exhibition in the series sees collaborations between the artist and graffiti artists, such as Mr Doodle, Shepard Fairey and Wrdsmith. Over 270 artworks are on display, each with a background created by Noah. Runs until 8 October 2023.

Launching today (6 April 2023), artist LR Vandy will create a new outdoor sculpture, which will see audiences engaging with International Slavery Museum from outside of its walls. The installation, named ‘Dancing in Time: The Ties That Bind Us’ is hand made by sewing sections of rope and binding the ends with twine. The installation is part of plans for the overall transformation of the museum and will be placed on the Canning Dock quayside. Artist Vandy said of the work: “What people might not appreciate is how much symbolism the rope holds. Through this sculpture I also want to evoke the feeling of dance – movement. How people throughout times have used dance to break free from oppressive systems.”

Funding

The National Portrait Gallery has announced a partnership with the Getty to jointly acquire Portrait of Omai, a £50m oil painting currently in private ownership. NPG had previously attempted to raise the total itself, but the new partnership will see the museums pay £25m each and share its display.

National Portrait Gallery and Getty to jointly acquire £50m ‘Portrait of Omai’

Applications for Art Fund’s latest Reimagine grants are now open. The charity said the latest round of funding will be used to back projects which “help organisations reimagine their support for the workforce” including staff and volunteer recruitment,skill-sharing, mentoring schemes and skills audits.

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