The Lowry wins Museums & Heritage Award for Excellence 2004
Category: Temporary Exhibition – The Impossible View?
The Lowry was presented with the ‘Best Temporary exhibition’ award for The Impossible View? by comedienne and broadcaster, Sandi Toksvig, in the 2004 Museums and Heritage Awards for excellence at a high profile gala evening last night at London’s Café Royal.
The Impossible View? exhibition and catalogue, sponsored by Turley Associates, explored L S Lowry’s preoccupation with the panoramic view, placing his work within a broad historical sweep of art from the sixteenth century to the present day. Consultant curator, Clive Adams secured loans of paintings, drawings and photographs from over 30 important national and regional collections. Works on display included Bruegel the Elder, Turner, Canaletto, David Hockney and a panoramic image of a crater on the surface of the moon taken on the Apollo 15 mission.
Lindsay Brooks, Curator at The Lowry was delighted that such an ambitious and visually rich exhibition has been acknowledged in this prestigious way. She also commented on how the exhibition was created: ”This exhibition was the best example to date of our mission to present L S Lowry’s work in a new context. But the theme of the panoramic view was also chosen to echo everyone’s visual experience: who can’t remember climbing to the top of a building to admire the view?”
Created by the Museums & Heritage Show, presented by Heritage from Dulux and supported by The Independent newspaper, the Awards aim to recognise and celebrate best practise within the UK’s museums, galleries and heritage visitor attractions. Awards founder and director of the Museums & Heritage Show, Anna Preedy, commented: “We have once again been overwhelmed by both the number and quality of entries we have received for this year’s Awards for Excellence. The Awards provide those within the industry a rare occasion to shout about just some of the spectacular projects that are taking place in the UK’s cultural attractions today.”
Alan Macgregor, Marketing Director adds: “The overall objective of The Impossible View? was to present LS Lowry’s art within a wider, accessible, artistic context, attracting Lowry fans, those who currently dismiss his work, and those who have never visited a gallery before. We were delighted to achieve all our objectives, which included visitor numbers of 82,000. National press coverage exceeded that secured for previous exhibitions, with critics often referring to their preconceptions of Lowry’s art being overturned. 71% of visitors were gallery goers making their first visit to The Lowry – another target hit. This exhibition also allowed us to be creative in our marketing, using playful imagery and unusual ideas.”
The Lowry, a landmark building, presenting excellence in the visual and performing arts, has succeeded in winning a whole range of awards for its exciting and diverse programming. For more information about any aspect of The Lowry, email info@thelowry, call 0870 787 5793 or visit www.thelowry.com
Posted on Thursday, 13 May 2004 under Press General Press