Wondrous objects to dazzle the city
STAR ITEMS BORROWED FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR EXHIBITION
HUNDREDS of star objects on loan from the UK’s leading collections are to go on show in Newcastle.
As part of Great Exhibition of the North from June 22 to September 9, the Great North Museum will present Which Way North, an exhibition throughout the building exploring innovators, designers and artists.
It will feature 250 items borrowed from more than 100 lenders and attractions will include:
Damien Hirst’s Heaven, a shark suspended in formaldehyde solution, on loan from Damien Hirst / Science Ltd
A rare miniature book created by Charlotte Brontë, from the Brontë Parsonage Museum
Dame Vivienne Westwood’s pirate ensemble, from the V&A Museum
David Hockney’s Le Parc des Sources, Vichy, 1970, from Chatsworth House
John Harrison’s marine timekeeper H4, from Royal Museums Greenwich
The sonic screwdriver from Doctor Who, designed by Dan Walker and used by Matt Smith’s Doctor, from BBC Studios.
These highlights join major loans already announced, such as Helen Sharman’s space suit, the last piano played by John Lennon and George Stubbs’s horse painting Whistlejacket.
Caroline McDonald, manager at the Great North Museum, said: “We’re counting down the days to when Great Exhibition of the North kicks off and visitors can see these important loans.
“From art and design to ground-breaking innovations, we hope there’s something in our show to inspire everyone.
“Bringing together 250 objects from over 100 lenders is amazing for the museum. Many thanks to National Lottery players; our Heritage Lottery Fund grant has made it all possible.” Professor Eric Cross, dean of cultural affairs at Newcastle University, said: “The Great North Museum is going to play host to some amazing pieces of art, design and artefacts. Visitors will also be able to experience the museum as they’ve never seen it before. “We are thrilled Which Way North will feature Newcastle University’s very own Richard Hamilton, who taught fine art here and has been described as the ‘father’ of Pop Art. “It’s also going to include inspirational pieces such as Helen Sharman’s space suit. We can’t wait to see it all come together and look forward to welcoming visitors to discover more about how innovation and creativity in the North shaped the world in which we live today.” Which Way North takes its inspiration from the Duchess of Newcastle’s 1666 novel The Blazing World, thought to be one of the earliest works of science fiction. It describes a fantastic realm in which skilled navigators of sea and sky embrace a world of possibilities beyond their own. Visitors to the exhibition will find a 1668 edition of The Blazing World at their starting point, as well as other items they might need for an adventure, including the eleventh Doctor’s sonic screwdriver and a fan showing a map of the North from 1778. From thereon in, the exhibition journeys through a number of themed interventions in which bold new displays burst through the existing museum galleries.
To the Moon and Back is the theme in the Hadrian’s Wall gallery, taking Helen Sharman’s space suit as the lead for an exploration of the stars, the seas and Northern pioneers. Other highlights include John Harrison’s prizewinning H4 timekeeper and an original watercolour illustration by Anita Jeram from the classic children’s book Guess How Much I Love You.
Buried Treasures: In an Octopus’s Garden is the theme for the Fossil Stories gallery, where a collection of hidden gems and shiny trinkets sits alongside the museum’s imposing replica T. Rex skeleton. Highlights include a pirate costume designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood and a replica of physicist Peter Higgs’s Nobel Prize medal.
Human Machine Motion is the theme in the Special Exhibitions hall. An installation of Richard Hamilton’s artwork Man, Machine and Motion is the inspiration for a celebration of Northern flights of fancy, engineering and nature in motion.
Spanning the Ancient Egypt and Natural Northumbria galleries, This Kingdom Called Home – sponsored by Home Group – is an emporium dedicated to Northern achievements that have influenced the way we live. Star loans include David Hockney’s largescale painting Le Parc des Sources, Vichy and a rare miniature book created by 14-year-old Charlotte Brontë.