Old Burrell Collection cases will be ‘saved from sledgehammer’
OLD display cabinets from the Burrell Collection will not be “put to a sledgehammer” but mostly recycled and some reused in the refurbished museum.
Around 30 of the 205 glass cases are to go to Pollok House and some others to Historic Environment Scotland.
It follows Glasgow City Council’s Contracts and Property Committee formally agreeing a £4million replacement programme for the cases as part of a a £66m refurbishment of the prestigious art collection in Pollok Park.
At the committee meeting, SNP councillor Norman Macleod appealed for the outgoing display cases to be put to good use.
He said: “I hope we’re not going to put a sledgehammer to them, as long as we can find an environmentally friendly use, sale or re-use by a charity. I hate waste and I’m sure we all share that view.”
Following the meeting, Glasgow Life confirmed some would be refitted with clear glass and put to use.
However, the spokeswoman told how it would be “prohibitively expensive” to retrofit all 205 cases.
As such, most of the architect-designed display cabinets will be broken up into recyclable goods.
Glasgow Life said the current green glass does not meet conservation standards and the cabinets breach “health and safety requirements” in their current form. Let us know your views. Email letters@ eveningtimes.co.uk
A Glasgow Life spokeswoman said: “A detailed assessment of the 205 original display cases at the Burrell Collection was carried out by Event Communications, the project exhibition designers as well as Glasgow Museums’ specialist conservation and display staff.
“The cases are not compliant with current Museums conservation and environmental control nor Health and Safety requirements.
“In addition, the original display case glass is tinged green, the re-purposing of all the cases with bespoke clear glass would be prohibitively expensive.
“However as agreed with GCC Planning and Historic Environment Scotland, a number of example types of the display cases will be retained with clear glass fitted retrospectively as examples of the original cases for display.
“This is the same approach as was taken with the renewal of display cases at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum when it was refurbished.”