From the WMDC Press and Communications Office
ART GALLERY WILL
CHANGE HISTORY
Wakefield's
new major art gallery will change history, guests at the launch of The
Hepworth Wakefield Trust were told this week.
David
Lammy MP, Minister for Culture, said it was important to have buildings
that gave a sense of awe because by doing so it helped stimulate
creativity. The Hepworth Wakefield was such a building.
Referring
to the gallery and to the three major regeneration projects at The
Waterfront, Marsh Way and Westgate, he said: "It takes vision and
Wakefield Council has been incredibly ambitious."
He
said that the development was changing history; the Waterfront had been
private land but that would change for future generations and there would
be a sense of ownership.
Earlier,
Sir Alan Bowness of the Barbara Hepworth family trust, referred to the
unique collection of 30 original plasters used by Barbara Hepworth when
casting her bronze sculptures.
"These
are the works that are coming to Wakefield. The trustees felt there was no
better place for these original works of Barbara," he said.
Guests
at the launch were able to view a model of The Hepworth Wakefield. The
building's architect David Chipperfield spoke about its design and said a
characteristic of the site was that the building would be highly visible
from every side. The gallery has been designed as a collection of volumes,
which reflect the differing shapes of the gallery spaces within. Instead
of being conventionally square, the rooms are all slightly shifted, and
sculptural in quality.
He
also paid tribute to Wakefield Council's support for The Hepworth
Wakefield. "Their enthusiasm has been unbelievable and it bodes well
for the future," he said.
The
newly formed Trust will support the development and future operation of
The Hepworth Wakefield, an exciting and vibrant new art gallery and centre
for the creative arts on Wakefield's historic Waterfront. It is due to
open in 2008.
The
total cost of The Hepworth Wakefield building and the public garden around
it is £22 million while the whole project, which includes a footbridge
across the River Calder and access works to link The Hepworth Wakefield
and the Waterfront to the city centre, will cost £26 million. Wakefield
Council has secured funding from The Arts Council (£5 million) and a
Stage One pass from Heritage Lottery Fund (£4.98 million). With other
funding secured or identified from the Council, Yorkshire Forward and the
European Regional Development Fund, a further £2 million is needed to see
the whole project through to completion.
The
gallery will feature Wakefield Art Gallery's outstanding collection of
works by Barbara Hepworth and other major 20th century British artists,
including Anthony Caro, Ben Nicholson, LS Lowry and Henry Moore, who, like
Barbara Hepworth, was born just a few miles from the proposed gallery
site.
Before
and after the launch speeches there was music, living sculptures, dancing
from Dhanya from Kala Sangam, a street circus and theatre as well as the
opportunity to view models and plans of The Hepworth Wakefield.
Ref:
PR840
Date: 17/05/06
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