ART of SURVIVAL

The lockdown has demonstrated just how much we value art. But art cannot be contained. Here, directors, curators and managers of our county’s leading art galleries and museums share their favourite artworks with you, currently hidden behind closed doors

Dr William Gilberd Showing His Experiments on Electricity to Queen Elizabeth and Her Court by Arthur Ackland Hunt (1841–1914)

Since the Government announced the lockdown, culture lovers have been denied the opportunity to enjoy the simple pleasure of wandering into a gallery or museum to look at a broad variety of art.

Of course, the enforced closure of its doors prompted the art world to find a new way to engage with house-bound audiences. Many galleries swiftly moved to offer remote access to their collections or major exhibitions via virtual tours posted on their websites.

Colchester’s Firstsite made national headlines with its innovative Art Is Where the Home Is activity pack, designed to keep children and young people entertained and engaged while remaining at home. The free, downloadable pack features contributions from some of Britain’s leading artists including Antony Gormley, Jeremy Deller, Gillian Wearing, Michael Landy, Annie Morris and Essex’s own, Grayson Perry.

The new normality of social distancing means that the pleasure of wandering around a building, experiencing the art within it, remains difficult if not impossible. With this in mind, Adam Jones, approached a number of directors, curators and managers of leading cultural institutions in Essex, and invited them to nominate and discuss a favourite piece of artwork, either in their own collection or that can be seen elsewhere in the county.

Sally Shaw, director of Firstsite, nominates Dr William Gilberd Showing His Experiments on Electricity to Queen Elizabeth and Her Court by Arthur Ackland Hunt (1841-1914).

Firstsite in Colchester