The Lowry commissions artists to create exciting new site-specific work
THE LOWRY COMMISSIONS ARTISTS TO CREATE EXCITING NEW SITE-SPECIFIC WORK
The Lowry Galleries are delighted to announce a series of new artist commissions worth a total of £60,000 over three years. The commissions are to create site specific work for the Promenade Gallery.
The Promenade Gallery in the quayside building is in a prominent place, overlooking the Manchester Ship Canal and the search is on for artists to work in that special context.
The project, called Transformations, is aimed at professional artists (living and working outside London) and has been funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. The Lowry is now accepting entries from artists for the first commission which will be awarded in September and shown from April to July next year.
Mark Doyle, The Lowry’s Exhibition Programmer, commented: “The Promenade is an inspirational space which, we feel, presents a rare opportunity for artists to experiment and test new approaches to their practice. The selected artist will be given time, funding and support to research, develop and realise new work which responds to the unique aspects of the Promenade to positive and dramatic effect. The judges will be looking at the artist’s level of experience, the strength of their proposal and the persuasiveness of their argument for a new approach to their practice at this particular stage in their career”.
The prestigious judging panel will include internationally renowned artist Richard Wilson, twice nominated for the Turner prize, and independent curator David Thorp, formerly director of the South London Gallery and Curator of Contemporary Projects at the Henry Moore Foundation.
Artist Bill Longshaw, who has just curated The Myth of The North for The Lowry and enjoyed one of his first big breaks as an artist on the Promenade in 2004, commented: “The great thing about the Promenade is its scale. The sheer height of the walls lend themselves into being transformed into buildings..or the side of a ship..or anything! The other quality of the space is its light and the way it links the inside and the outside of the building, allowing what’s on the inside to merge with the docks, the water and the city beyond. The light and the mood of the space changes with the weather throughout the day”.
The announcement comes at an opportune time with Jerwood Contemporary Painters (30 June – 23 Sept) currently proving a big success on the Promenade. Organised by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, this touring exhibition also aims to support and promote the work of emerging artists.
Applications for Transformations will be accepted in any medium or material including sculpture, light, sound, installation, text, multi-media. The deadline for submission is Fri 7 Sept and those interested should log on to www.thelowry.com/transformations for further details or write to Mark Doyle, Exhibitions Programmer, The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ.
Posted on Wednesday, 31 October 2007 under Press Galleries Press