PAINTINGS ON THE TUBE - THE READING WAY
A long time ago, Chris Smith was ridiculed for suggesting we could hang great works of art on tube trains. A silly idea yes, but a provocative way of saying that there are imaginative ways to get art out of museums and into the community. Reading Museum, which I visited today, is doing just that. An HLF grant allows them to pack up little bits of art and artefacts (1500 in all) into cases, with explanatory notes and catalogued on the web. These are then made available to local schools for use in lessons. So little Jonny gets to go to class and handle real Roman pottery, or a Victorian police man’s handcuffs, or an exotic Australian plant. Great stuff. And when he grows up, the local business he works for can hire works of art, or sculptures to hang in his office. Or even biscuit tins, as one firm has done (Reading was the home of Huntley & Palmer, and the museum has a brilliant display of biscuit tins, which H&P invented). fantastic stuff.
canvas said on November 9th, 2007 at 11:01 am:
Art is for all. It should be accessible.
Sue said on November 9th, 2007 at 1:19 pm:
This is a great initiative. I wonder if the museums in Oxford would be interested in doing the same, especially taking artifacts to schools in the County.
I also like the idea of art on tube trains. It’s a pity the idea was ridiculed - why not have posters of great works of art? Having worked in London many moons ago, I know how boring tube journeys are, looking at the same old adverts over and over. Anything to break the monotony has got to be a good thing. IIRC there was poetry on tubes a few years ago, which seemed quite popular at the time.
Tizzy said on November 9th, 2007 at 2:05 pm:
Personally, I don’t like the idea of the select few who can afford hiring a work of art for their private use. I admire those who donate or permanently lend their collections to a public gallery or museum.