Exhibition hits the mark
Professor Richard Marks, Head of the History of Art Department, is one enthusiastic guy. As I sat in his Kings Manor office one dark and wet Friday afternoon, his enthusiasm and excitement could not have been more apparent. And he has every reason to be excited. Richard is the curator of a major exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The exhibition, entitled ‘Gothic’ was the brain child of Richard, and the culmination of much hard work and dedication which began in 1999.
I asked Richard how it all came to be. He explained to me that throughout the 1980s there was an enthusiasm for medieval art. He thought that it was a natural progression to then begin looking at the art of the gothic period, which historians date as spanning from the beginning of the 15th century to the middle of the 16th century. Richard had approached the Victoria & Albert museum with his idea, and they were more than happy to help him get the show on the road. With 18 months leave granted by the University to research and organise the massive project, Richard set to work.
As we sat in his office, I found it hard to believe that so much had been achieved in such a short time. Gathering over three hundred objects from all around the world and compiling them as one exhibition cannot be an easy task. From tiny items of jewellery to vast complete stained-glass windows, Richard’s exhibition has it all. The media have shown a keen interest on the project. The exhibition was covered in ‘Newsnight Review’, with guests as distinguished as Ian Hislop and Bonny Greer. Keep an eye on the television as well, as Channel 5 have produced a programme on Richard’s exhibition, entitled ‘The Glory of Gothic’.
Richard is vehemently non-elitist. He quickly pointed out to me that he is determined to avoid patronising the general public by focusing not on what they do or don’t know, but on what they are capable of knowing. Richard is fully aware of the snares and traps involved in such a situation where academic matter meets a general observer. He has been careful to follow the museum guidelines, which state that no more than fifty words may appear on an exhibit label. He sees it as essential that the importance of cultural events must be emphasised, for the art of a given time is inextricably linked with the social events of that time. He told me that you cannot write history into the exhibition, but that it can give a broader understanding of the social and cultural events. Central to this is Richard’s belief that art should be freely accessible to all people. It is no surprise, then, that Richard has chosen the Victoria & Albert Museum, which remains free to all visitors, as the home for his exhibition.
Richard has also complied a book to accompany the exhibition. Even to someone like myself who is no expert, you cannot help but be amazed at the detail of the book. Leafing through the pages of the new book, Richard pointed out to me the short essays written by his colleagues. Every single exhibit has been reproduced in the book with a fuller description and more detailed discussion than it would be possible to include at the exhibition. I asked him if this went against the grain of his non-elitism. Richard explained that he was determined to make the exhibition as accessible as possible, and to do this he felt he had to avoid bombarding the public with facts the moment they walked through the door. He wanted to create an atmosphere where the public could become involved to whatever degree they wanted. The book, he continued, served the purpose as a reference for those who want to learn and discover more about the art covered in the exhibition. He told me of his hopes that the book will achieve its threefold aim: to serve as an accessible resource for anyone who is interested, provide useful material for the student, and to pose stimulating questions for the academic community to pursue in the future. For Richard, the book is not only a memento of the exhibition, but is also a vibrant resource which points forwards as well as backwards.
Richard’s Exhibition, ‘Gothic: Art for England 1400-1547’ is on show at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. It runs until the 18th January 2004. To find out more, check visit their website on www.vam.ac.uk or give them a call on 020 7942 2000
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