FIELD FOR THE BRITISH ISLES
A National Touring Exhibition from the Arts Council Collection.
Organised by the Hayward Gallery for the Arts Council of
England.
Spotlight on Antony Gormley
St. Mary's Church, Shrewsbury, UK
Public viewings: 29th September - 4th November 2001
Mon-Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 10am - 4pm
Free Admission.
WINNER of the 1994 Turner prize, Gormley is probably best known for his gigantic winged
sculpture, The Angel of the North, but you may recognise Field for the British Isles - a
huge, mesmerising installation consisting of a vast sea of terracotta figures.
The work comprises 40.000 clay figures which are all positioned to face the same way like a huge crowd waiting in expectation, stretching out like a vast field. Never has such a major work by a top international artist been exhibited in Shropshire.
The Field has been described as:
"Having a powerful, tangible energy of its own"
"Being a singular image of humanity"
"The most challenging work of our time"
Location
St Mary's Church, in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust, sitting at the heart of our County Town, provides an inspirational setting that will present this major contemporary work in a distinctive new light, attainable only by visiting Shrewsbury.
Shrewsbury has several interesting churches within the meandering curves of the River Severn. Outstanding is St Mary's, in St Mary's Street. Shrewsbury's only complete medieval church, it originated in the late Saxon period, although the earlier features of the present building are of the 12th century.
Subsequent centuries saw the church being successively enlarged and embellished with a remarkable series of stain-glass windows, monuments and furnishings. Its spire is said to be the third highest in England.
About
Regenerating Shrewsbury through Cultural Tourism
"Field" will come to Shrewsbury direct from the Tate St Ives continuing on to The British Museum. For the first time audiences will have the unique opportunity to see the work sited in a church, this in itself is a significant attraction and will draw audiences nationally as well as from across the region. The accompanying exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery will feature work by Antony Gormley, never before seen outside of London.
A Landmark Event - Revitalising the Rural Economy
Delivered through the dynamic partnership between Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, The Churches Conservation Trust (who look after St Mary’s Church), Shrewsbury Town Centre Management Partnership and the business community.
The event is being developed in association with Farmhand – unique to Shrewsbury - that aims to bring town and country together during the time of crisis and devastation in the countryside.
This exhibition has social and cultural implications for our rural county. "The Field" gives great resonance to the message of hope and rebirth that we have been active in supporting in Shropshire during the past few months.
Gormley describes his work as "a new kind of soul garden".
What a wonderful description for a work coming to a county that could be described as a
garden, now finding its soul in its people working together - it has also been said in
relation to The Field that:
"The harvest comes from within the people"
The activity created by this event will help to restore some vitality and confidence to
the local economy so badly impacted by the foot and mouth epidemic.
Field for the British Isles will:
- Attract large audiences - attendance figures at other venues have ranged from 30,000 to 100,000 over a similar timespan
- Deliver a dynamic education programme, involving schools and artists throughout the county
- Stimulate national interest in Shrewsbury
- Generate region wide appreciation of the role that Shrewsbury can play as the regional centre and also in revitalising the County
- Provide a high profile platform for local businesses to demonstrate their commitment to Shrewsbury, Shropshire and its people
Sponsors
We Need Your Support.
This project requires investment, both "in kind" and financial. Please consider how you might assist this initiative.
Your support is crucial - private sector help is critical not only in staging this work but in proving that art of this calibre can be successfully shown in the rural provinces.
Partnerships with business will help us to begin an ambitious arts programme for this area, which will benefit all.
What You Get In Return
EXCELLENT PR
- Increase local ‘brand loyalty’ by association with a high profile laudable event - ( Ernst and Young measured the responses of their customers following sponsorship of the Monet exhibition and found that 49% of clients then associated them with "quality and culture")
- The name of your company on promotional literature and on the Website
- Evidence of corporate social responsibility by involvement with this project
- Access to a target audience
- Global, national and regional coverage
PRIVILEGE EVENTS
- Special Investors Evening – opportunity to network with other corporate investors
- Opportunity to host corporate entertainment during the exhibition
- Privilege tickets to Rural Realities Events: to run concurrently with the exhibition and addressing rural business and community issues