The New Art Gallery in Walsall is situated approximately 9 miles from Birmingham, UK, and easily accessible by bus and rail. The building has a unique, six storey design and according to the official website, the gallery was, upon it's completion, "... the largest built work of any British architect under 40 years of age". The exterior of the building is covered in tiles, which are interrupted by random large glass windows, which allow for impressive views of the town and surrounding area, as well as providing an abundance of natural light within the building. The interior of the building is a contrast of stark concrete and smooth, douglas fir wood panels, which create a surprising and very contemporary visual effect.
Entering the New Art Gallery
Two sets of sliding doors glide open to reveal a large entrance hall with a high ceiling, usually housing a larger than life exhibit. At the moment, the centrepiece is a huge robot sculpture, which itself has a fascinating backstory concerning the sculptor Epstein and the fight against fascism. The focal point of the hall is the large concrete staircase, which winds its way up through the core of the building through each floor. For the less energetic, there is also an elevator, which is voiced by local celebrity Noddy Holder, singer in the band Slade. The ground floor also has an information desk, shop and cafe.
The Childrens' Gallery
Housed on the ground floor, the Disco Gallery is an interactive gallery for children, which features various pieces of art and has strong references to Epstein and his family. This section of the gallery gets very busy at weekends and features dressing up activities, a puppet theatre and a toy fruit and vegetable stall, as well as a shoe museum, a fishing game and a friendly alien sculpture. Everything is focused on "hands on" learning, and the gallery is very popular with school groups.
The Garman Ryan Collection
This is a large collection of artwork that used to be housed in Walsall Library, but now has a permanent home here, in the New Art Gallery, where it can be displayed in all its glory, across floors 1 and 2. The collection was created by Kathleen Garman, wife of the sculptor Jacob Epstein. After his death, Kathleen and her friend Sally Ryan assembled a great collection of artworks by famous artists including Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Constable and Monet, as well as some ancient artefacts from around the world. The collection includes sculptures, sketches and paintings, which are fascinating, diverse and beautiful, a wonderful eclectic mix of old and modern artworks. The gallery includes a lot of information about the artworks, as well as further interactive activities for children based on the artworks, such as jigsaws based on the paintings.
Exhibition Galleries
The exhibition galleries are spacious white rooms located on floors 3 and 4. The exhibition galleries have featured many diverse subjects, from paintings by humble local art groups, to bold and sometimes shocking works by internationally reknowned artists. The galleries often feature the weird and the wonderful, and in the past have included a huge block of marzipan, a giant vat of chocolate, models, fantasy machines and dark rooms featuring projections on the walls. Upcoming exhibitions include work by Mark Titchner and Sir Eduardo Paollozi. The modern artwork featured in the exhibition galleries is often bold, eyecatching and thought provoking and provides a stark conrast to the more sedate pieces in the Garman Ryan Collection.
Roof Terrace
No visit to the gallery is complete without a walk on the spectacular roof terrace. The terrace features a seating area and perspex windows which allow the viewer a birds eye view of the town of Walsall. From the terrace, the bustling shopping centre and railway contrast with the stately St Matthews Church on the hill overlooking the town, as well as the relative calm of the canalside area, where people stroll, completely oblivious to the fact that they are being watched!
Walsall Art Gallery has something for everyone
Walsall Art Gallery is completely free to visit, so is an equally appropriate destination for Art enthusiasts as it is for families or busy shoppers, looking for somewhere to spend a contemplative half hour. The gallery also houses a large library of art related books and archive material, and stages many events and activities from in depth tours for art lovers to craft sessions for young children. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and this extraordinary architechtural wonder has succeeded in putting the town of Walsall on the Arts and Culture map of Britain.
Louise Jones - I have always enjoyed writing as a hobby, but started writing reviews online in February 2010 for Dooyoo, and later Ciao. In the beginning ...
