Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Established | 2002 |
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Location | Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England |
Type | Contemporary art gallery |
Visitors | 8,000,000 (November 2020) |
Director | Sarah Munro MBE |
Website | baltic |
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (also known simply as (the) Baltic, stylised as BALTIC) is a centre for
Baltic opened in July 2002 in a converted flour mill, which had operated in various capacities from 1950 to 1984. The architectural design of Baltic was devised by Dominic Williams of Ellis Williams Architects, who won a competition to design the new contemporary arts centre in 1994. The building features exhibition spaces, a visitor centre, a rooftop restaurant and external viewing platforms which offer views of the River Tyne. Baltic's current director, the centre's fifth, is Sarah Munro, who joined in November 2015. As of January 2022, Baltic had welcomed over 8 million visitors.[1]
Development
Baltic Flour Mills
Baltic Flour Mills was built by
Arts centre inception
The opening of Baltic as a designated centre for contemporary art was part of the revitalisation and post-industrial regeneration of Gateshead's riverside.[8] The regeneration began in the early 1990s and transformed the Quayside into a centre of modern architecture, including the Sage and Millennium Bridge.[9] In 1991, Northern Arts (now part of Arts Council England) released a five-year plan in which it stated its intention to create "major new capital facilities for the Contemporary Visual Arts and Music in Central Tyneside". Northern Arts were keen to convert an old building into a centre for art, rather than build a new one, and the Labour-run Gateshead Council expressed interest in converting the old Flour Mills. Gateshead Council purchased the Baltic Flour Mills silo building, and in 1994 they invited the Royal Institute of British Architects to open a competition which would find an architect to design the new arts centre.[10]
Architecture
In 1994,
The conversion of the flour mills was a complex and technically challenging task. The grain silos were removed, leaving the brick façades unsupported, and a 1,000 tonne steel frame was required to support the remaining building. Four new main floors were inserted into the building supported by a row of pillars. Intermediary floors made out of steel frames and thin concrete were also inserted. These were designed to be removable as to adapt the building and create variable spaces for art.
Awards
Baltic won a
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The brick façade of Baltic with its distinctive red and yellow bricks and original lettering.
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Looking down the stairwell of Baltic. The building has five main levels and 13 floors in total.
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View from the west-facing window of Baltic. The Sage, Gateshead Millennium Bridge, and Tyne Bridge are all visible.
Management
The founding director,
In November 2007, Doroshenko left the gallery to head up the PinchukArtCentre in Kiev, Ukraine. He stated that he believed he had made Baltic a more "approachable and visitor friendly place."[30] However, Design Week reported that there were claims that Doroshenko did not deliver the expected "international programme of artistic excellence."[31] Additionally, staff at the centre had complained about his "intolerable" and "bullying" management style.[32] Godfrey Worsdale, founding director of the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, was appointed as director of Baltic in 2008. Worsdale oversaw the 10 year anniversary of Baltic and the hosting of the Turner Prize in 2011.[24] He was awarded an honorary degree from Northumbria University in 2012 in recognition for his work on contemporary art after being on the judging panel for the Turner Prize.[33] He departed in 2015 to take up a new post as director of the Henry Moore Foundation.[34] Sarah Munro MBE became director in November 2015. She was previously artistic director of Tramway in Glasgow and head of arts for Glasgow Life.[35]
History as arts centre
Pre-opening events
During the four-year construction of Baltic, the new organisation arranged a series of events, publications, and artists in residence in anticipation of the centre's opening. In 1999, after the silos had been removed and before the new floors were inserted, the shell of the building was used to house an art installation by Anish Kapoor. Taratantara was a trumpet-shaped installation of PVC 50 metres (160 ft) long and was situated within the centre of the mill.[36][9] This installation drew 16,000 visitors and marked a turning point between the building's old purpose and its new life as a centre for art. In October 2000, Jenny Holzer's Truisms – a series of aphorisms and slogans – were projected onto the side of the building.[36] Kapoor and Holtzer's works were intended to engage casual passers-by in an artistic dialogue.[37] The identity of Baltic was also solidified by the publication of 16 newsletters between October 1998 and July 2002 when the centre opened to the public. A significant part of this branding was the use of the now registered typeface BALTIC Affisch, designed by Swedish designers Ulf Greger Nilsson and Henrik Nygren and based on the BALTIC FLOUR MILLS lettering on the building's brick façade.[36]
Opening
After ten years in the planning and a capital investment of £50m, including £33.4m from the Arts Council Lottery Fund, Baltic opened to the public at midnight on Saturday 13 July 2002.
Notable events
Thanksgiving
On 20 September 2007, Baltic management contacted Northumbria Police for advice regarding whether or not a photograph should be displayed as part of the Thanksgiving installation, a forthcoming exhibition by American photographer Nan Goldin.[45] The photograph, along with the rest of the installation, is part of the Sir Elton John Photography Collection. Entitled Klara and Edda belly-dancing features two naked young girls and had previously been exhibited around the world without objections.[46] The installation, which had been scheduled for a four-month exhibition, opened with the remaining photographs whilst Klara and Edda belly-dancing was in possession of the police. However, it closed after just nine days at the request of Elton John.[47] Although this had a determinantal effect on Baltic's reputation in the short-term, Graham Whitham argues in Understand Contemporary Art that it may have given it a higher profile and greater publicity in the long-run.[48]
Beryl Cook
In 2007, the largest survey of artist Beryl Cook's work to date was featured in an exhibition at Baltic.[9] Cook enjoyed widespread recognition of her art towards the end of her life; the exhibition at Baltic took place one year before her death.[49] Her paintings depict everyday and familiar social situations in a playful, colourful, and "portly" style.[50] Peter Doreshenko, the director of Baltic at the time of the exhibition, was keen for the gallery to reject the seriousness audiences may associate with it. The exhibition of Cook's work was part of this populist effort to attract new audiences to the then financially-struggling gallery, whose visitor numbers had dropped to less than 500,000 and whose reputation was decreasing.[51][52] Adrian Searle of The Guardian reviewed the exhibition and, whilst acknowledging that fans would enjoy it, commented "look too long and you may feel a bit queasy".[53]
Turner Prize
In 2011, Baltic was the venue for the Turner Prize. This was the first time the event had been held outside of London or Liverpool Tate.[54][55] The Turner Prize exhibition at Baltic attracted 149,770 visitors to the gallery – almost double the average attendance in London. The event at Baltic was also free, whilst Turner exhibitions at Tate Britain had always previously charged for entry. The winning exhibit was by Martin Boyce with the runners-up being Karla Black, Hilary Lloyd and George Shaw.[56]
Judy Chicago
The first major retrospective of American artist
Baltic Open Submission
In March 2020, Baltic announced it would be closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic until further notice.[59] In May 2021, it reopened to visitors with four exhibitions. Baltic Open Submission featured works created during lockdown by 158 artists from the North East.[60] The 158 artists were chosen from over 540 original submissions and selected by a panel of three North East-based artists. The final pieces included paintings, drawings, and sound and video installations.[61]
Community and cultural impact
At the opening of Baltic, director Sune Nordgren outlined the role of the arts centre within the public sphere. He stated that Baltic should be "a meeting place, a site for connections and confrontation between artists and the public."[37] In an October 2002 lecture at the Power Plant Gallery in Toronto, Nordgren reaffirmed the importance of local outreach and explained his intention for Baltic to regard the local history and culture, comparing his intention to examples of modern art museums where this was not considered, such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (designed in Los Angeles and placed in Spain).[62] From its inception, Baltic emphasised the importance of artist-public relationships and its role as a community hub. "Participate" initiatives encouraged people in the local community to interact with resident artists.[63] A media learning centre in a local library was set up as an extension of Baltic's community resources.[37]
In a 2016 talk on Baltic's 10-year strategic plan (officially named Untitled), the current director of Baltic – Sarah Munro – emphasised that the North East of England "has always led, not followed" the agenda for contemporary arts, and that Baltic had been a big part of this trend. She argued that the visual arts can be used to further the economic and social growth of the area, even amidst the backdrop of political issues and
Local university partnerships and graduate internships are also important to Baltic's community and cultural influence.[37] In 2011, Baltic and Northumbria University established an artistic partnership through the BxNU Institute of Contemporary Art, a centre for artistic and curatorial research. Christine Borland was appointed as Baltic Professor. A designated gallery space, known as Baltic 39, was established on the top floor of refurbished Edwardian warehouses at 31-39 High Bridge in Newcastle. It was designed by Viennese architects Jabornegg & Palffy and housed artwork from students at the university. Baltic 39 was based at High Bridge from 2012 to 2021.[66][67]
Their annual Self-Publishing Artists’ Market (aka S.P.A.M.) takes the form of a lively programme exploring print culture and practice through talks and workshops with over 50 stalls selling zines and artists’ books. S.P.A.M. Spreads reimagines the market in printed form and has included contributions by artists, activists, illustrators, zine-makers, writers and curators including Vanessa Murrell, Melody Sproates, Okocha Obasi, Stephanie Francis-Shanahan.
See also
- The Big Pitch
- Sage Gateshead
- Gateshead Millennium Bridge
References
Citations
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- ^ a b Guest, 2008: 4
- ^ .
- ^ Guest, 2008: 5
- ^ .
- ^ "Demolition of former Spillers Mill in Newcastle begins". BBC News. June 2011. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
- Chronicle Live. Archivedfrom the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Guest, 2008: 2
- ^ ISBN 9780191792229. Archivedfrom the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ Guest, 2008: 6-7
- ^ Jodidio, 2006: 86
- ^ Guest, 2008: 7-9
- ^ a b Guest, 2008: 19
- ^ a b Guest, 2008: 16-19
- ^ a b Guest, 2008: 26
- ^ Guest, 2008: 35
- ^ Guest, 2008: 13
- ^ Guest, 2008: 15
- ^ "What is it about ... Northern Art". British Heritage Travel. Vol. 41, no. 6. November–December 2020. p. 64. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ a b c d Falconer, Morgan (Autumn 2002). "'B.OPEN': Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art". Modern Painters. Vol. 15, no. 3 – via EBSCO Information Services.
- ^ Guest, 2008: 9
- ^ "Baltic and the Sage in UK's top 10 designs". The Journal. 23 June 2006. p. 36. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ "National Lottery Awards 2012 winners celebrated live on BBC One". National Lottery. 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ a b Lognonne, Ruth (28 May 2012). "Man in charge at Baltic shrugs off the poisoned chalice lab bel; Godfrey Worsdale has been head of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art since 2008 - its fourth director since the opening 10 years ago. For a while, it seemed the role came with some form of ancient curse that couldn't be shaken. But he's turned Europe's biggest contemporary art centre into his very own cultural masterpiece, as RUTH LOGNONNE finds out". The Journal. p. 28. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ "Laying Bare the Baltic". BBC Inside Out. 3 October 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ a b Higgins, Charlotte (20 October 2005). "Baltic's new director unveils a vision of skateboards, football and art in the lavatories". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Varley, William (5 September 2005). "Baltic blunders". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Jury, Louise (23 November 2004). "Baltic centre left all at sea after second director quits". The Independent. p. 19. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ Spank the Monkey. 27 September 2006-7 January 2007, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead.
- ^ "Baltic boss quits for Ukraine job". BBC News. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Baltic gallery seeks new directors". Design Week. Centaur Communications Limited. 5 June 2008. p. 3. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ Alberge, Dalya (4 July 2007). "Baltic Centre staff revolt against 'bullying' director". The Times. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "Honorary degree for dedicated Baltic director". The Journal. 18 July 2012. p. 16. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ Whetstone, David (15 July 2015). "Godfrey Worsdale takes his leave of Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art; After seven years in charge Godfrey Worsdale the Baltic's fourth boss looks back at what has been achieved in that time". The Journal. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- Chronicle Live. Archivedfrom the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Guest, 2008: 61
- ^ a b c d Marsh, 2004: 100
- ^ a b Whetstone, David (12 July 2012). "The news at 10; As Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art celebrates its 10th anniversary, DAVID WHETSTONE talks to directors past and present". The Journal. p. 17. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ a b Baltic Website Archived 2007-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Guest, 2008: 15-16
- ^ a b Usherwood, Paul (September 2002). "B.Opened". Art Monthly. No. 259 – via EBSCO Information Services.
- ^ "Blake in Gateshead, 1996". Jaume Plensa. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Guest, 2008: 62
- ^ Guest, 2008: 40
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- bbc.co.uk. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
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- ^ Bingham, John (28 May 2008). "Artist Beryl Cook dies aged 81". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "Painter Beryl Cook dies aged 81". The Independent. 28 May 2008. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Brown, Mark (14 August 2008). "Baltic's latest director looks to match the art world's best". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ^ Hickling, Alfred (28 November 2007). "Baltic loses its head - yet again". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ^ Searle, Adrian (24 July 2007). "Call this a national treasure?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Cain, Matthew (4 May 2011). "The Turner Prize heads to Gateshead". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Hoyle, Ben (7 December 2011). "Scottish sculptor's 'indoor park' scoops Turner Prize". The Australian. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
- ^ Wainwright, Martin (9 January 2012). "Turner Prize visitors to Gateshead's Baltic beat (almost) all hopes". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Lucie-Smith, Edward (1 December 2019). "Judy Chicago: Baltic Gateshead". Artlyst. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ a b Clugston, Hannah (15 November 2019). "Judy Chicago review – a soul-baring showdown with the grim reaper". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Harris, Gareth (17 March 2020). "Tate to close all four locations until 1 May due to coronavirus". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Hodgson, Barbara (13 May 2021). "Gateshead's Baltic to reopen with four exhibitions, reduced hours and new role for former cafe". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ "BALTIC Open Submission". Art Fund. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Marsh, 2004: 102
- ^ Marsh, 2004: 95
- ^ "The region's arts brought together; The Angel of the North, the Bowes Museum, the Pitmen Painters and many more have contributed to the North East's reputation in the visual arts. But what of the future? At BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, director Sarah Munro launched a strategic plan for the next decade. This is what she said". The Journal. 25 October 2016. p. 22. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
- ^ Brown, Mark (11 November 2016). "Baltic centre launches international award for emerging artists". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ "BxNU Institute". Bnxu.institute. BxNU; Northumbria University. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Sykes, Alan (4 April 2012). "Newcastle gets a fine new art gallery - with students and a professor thrown in". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
Bibliography
- Jodidio, Philip (2006). UK : architecture in the United Kingdom. Köln ; Los Angeles: .
- Guest, Andrew (2008). BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art. London: Scala Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85759-445-4.
- Marsh, Angela (2004). "Pragmatist Aesthetics and New Visions of the Contemporary Art Museum: The Tate Modern and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art". The Journal of Aesthetic Education. 38 (3). .