National Art Collection makes rare appearance in Hull to celebrate year of culture

Hull has a rare opportunity to host a collection of work from a prestigious national art collection from next month.

Some 28 pieces from the renowned Methodist Modern Art Collection will go on display until from Saturday 21^st October 2017 to New Year’s Eve at the Princes Quay Shopping Centre.

The exhibition, called Battered and Berthed, gives visitors the opportunity to reflect on the city’s maritime heritage, relationship with the sea, the response to being battered by storms, the wind and waves, and to challenge ideas of home – finding a berth.

It has been organised by the Believe in Hull church partnership as part of its contribution toward Hull City of Culture celebrations 2017,  called Communities of Culture, with funding support from the Methodist Church.

Co-ordinator Liane Kensett says: “I am excited to be part of a team from the churches in Hull working together exhibiting these pieces of art as a gift to our city during the year of culture. I think we have a great exhibition planned over 10 weeks, with space for imaginative discussion and creative responses. We are looking for volunteers to help us deliver a programme that includes school visits and an ‘arts house’ of live performers, reflective talks and music.”

The Collection was created in the 1960s by a Methodist layman & preacher and a minister to show the interpretation that artists could make of the Christian story and messages. There are over 40 works in total, including some by renowned artists such as Graham Sutherland, Eric Gill, Elisabeth Frink, William Roberts and Patrick Heron. The work at Hull will include The Dalit Madonna by Jyoti Sahi – one of the founders of the Asian Christian Art Association – and Storm over the Lake by Eularia Clarke.

An education pack is being produced to attract schools, which will have opportunities to tour the exhibition every week as part of their RE curriculum, and events such as workshops and talks will be organised. The idea is to encourage as many people as possible to visit and explore the work in different ways.

The Bishop of Hull, the Right Reverend Alison White,who chairs the Believe in Hull partnership, says: “This is another extraordinary opportunity for the churches to be part of the City of Culture and we’re proud to be adding this to the calendar. After the success of our Easter Praise and Feeding the 5,000, Battered and Berthed is a wonderful art collection to appear right in the heart of a shopping centre in our special city.”

Volunteers are being sought to help staff the exhibition, which will be open seven days a week in a shop unit on the second floor. Contact the Believe in Hull team via batteredandberthed@gmail.com  or  01482 445252.

The opening hours to the public will be:

Thursday-Saturday, 10-5.

Thursday, 7.30-9pm: “Arts House” performances.
Sunday, 1-5.30pm & Reflections (on a particular painting & reflective worship) at 6.30pm.  

Mondays-Wednesdays will be reserved for schools and community groups.