Annual Review 2008-09
A year of arts at Essex
The year saw the University lead on a number of arts initiatives. As
well as broadening the opportunities for students, these further established
Essex's place as a centre for artistic excellence in and around the local
area, the east of England and the wider UK.
McQueen and country
In October 2009 the University Gallery hosted Queen and Country, by
Turner Prize-winning artist Steve McQueen. The most ambitious and acclaimed
art exhibition held at the University in recent years, this timely and
insightful work commemorated British service personnel killed in Iraq.
Its private view brought together relatives of the fallen and
representatives from Colchester Garrison, and the exhibition was supported
by a series of events in and around Colchester. These were held by artists
Paul Seawright, David Cotterrell and Roddy Buchanan, alongside curator
Ulrike Smalley. Professor Michael Roper of the Department of Sociology and
Dr Rachel Duffett of History gave a talk on how letters from home, food
parcels and other packages sent by family boosted the morale of troops
serving in World War I. Also, Professor John Packer, of the University's
Human Rights Centre, gave a talk on investigating human rights violations in
Iraq when working for the United Nations.
Queen and Country was brought to Essex with assistance from The
Art Fund, the UK's leading independent art charity.
Mesmerising piece
The University of Essex Collection of Latin America Art (UECLAA) €“ which
comprises more than 600 works by modern and contemporary artists from Latin
America €“ saw its collection grow thanks to a private donation and a grant
of £17,556 from The Art Fund. This has helped to secure Twilight, a
major artwork by acclaimed Argentinean artist Jorge Luis Macchi in
collaboration with Argentinean composer Edgardo Rudnitzky.
A copy of Twilight's partner piece, Singers' Room, has also been
offered to the Collection. At the 2006 Colchester premiere of Twilight, at
firstsite@the minories, Rudnistzky's original composition was played on a
glass harmonium, with musical notes transferred electronically from one
corner of a room to another, while a light bulb, travelling along a wire,
gradually faded to complete darkness. The effect was described as
'mesmerising' and 'transformational' and Andrew Macdonald, Acting Director
of The Art Fund, has called Twilight 'a subtle yet beautiful work'.
Space is the place
November 2009 saw the completion of the Lakeside Theatre's £800,000
refurbishment, transforming the public performance space to become one of
the leading venues in the region for music, comedy and theatre. It now
houses a new café and foyer area, box office, excellent access for
wheelchair users, along with new seating in the auditorium and toilet
facilities.
The University Gallery has created 'The Project Space' €“ a display area
in the gallery providing additional space for visiting exhibitions, such as
a recent collection of works borrowed from Tate Gallery by Mexican
artist-in-residence Felipe Ehrenberg, to schools' projects €“ bringing art
onto campus for all to enjoy.
The University's outreach programme also continued apace in 2008-09,
visiting local community groups and schools to encourage art in all aspects
of community life. Ongoing partnership working around Essex to promote art
remained central to our ethos and our work with the highly respected
Firstsite gallery space also saw further excellent collaboration throughout
the year.
Looking ahead: the Hexagon project
The University hopes to convert the Hexagon building into a museum space
for the University of Essex Collection of Latin American Art, which
currently lacks adequate display and storage facilities.
World-renowned architects Long and Kentish have been appointed to produce
initial designs for the project, which is largely dependent on fundraising.
With the Collection's 20th anniversary in 2013, and the University's 50th
anniversary in 2014, this venue could be central to these celebrations.
The building, which appeared on a commemorative postage stamp in 1971,
would incorporate a permanent display about the University's architectural,
social and academic heritage and function as a centre for the University's
widening participation activities.