50°06′07″N 5°33′04″W / 50.102°N 5.551°W
Newlyn Art Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in Newlyn, Cornwall, UK.[1] Opened in 1895, designed by James Hicks of Redruth and financed by John Passmore Edwards the gallery was conceived as a home and exhibition venue for the Newlyn School of Art the works of which are now largely located at Penlee House Gallery and Museum in nearby Penzance.[2]
Following an architectural design competition managed by RIBA Competitions, the gallery was redeveloped and a second venue The Exchange in Penzance, was opened in 2007.[2] With two venues it offers a wide and varied programme across two sites. The focus at Newlyn Art Gallery is on painting and drawing. Artists working in other media continue to be a part of the programme on occasions, but two-dimensional work is the clear focus. Recent shows have included major retrospectives by Roger Hilton and Breon O'Casey. As a dog-friendly venue, dogs on leads are allowed to visit the gallery.
At Newlyn Art Gallery, the pavilion on the seaward side of the gallery is a glass structure on the ground-floor level, which supports a first floor clad in wet-laid Cornish slate, a building method specific to the region, but rarely seen in modern buildings. The glass curtain wall allows panoramic views of Newlyn Green and the sea while sliding doors lead to a secluded garden and outdoor seating area. The versatile Lower Gallery presents small exhibitions, projects and events. The Education Room and Studio Cafe on the first floor of the pavilion has a large window offering panoramic views across Mount's Bay, as well as a skylight the length of the gabled ceiling.
The Exchange
editThe Exchange was converted from a telephone exchange.[2] It has a large T-shaped gallery, double the size of Newlyn's gallery, which is regularly used as a project space in which artists and curators test new ideas. The Exchange enables audiences to see large-scale work not previously accessible in the region. It is also used as a venue for live performances, film screenings and community events.
The Exchange has an undulating glass façade which runs the entire length of the building, which is a former telephone exchange. A dramatic, changing light display, designed by Penwith-based artist Peter Freeman illuminates the glass panels according to the exhibitions and time of day and year.
References
edit- ^ "But do I like it?". The Guardian. 21 April 2003. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Newlyn's revamped art gallery by Muma". The Guardian. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2021.