Diary of a Curatorial trip to London and Venice. By Kari Adams

Our Curatorial Assistant Kari Adams was recently awarded a Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant to travel to London and spend time at the Tate Archive and to Venice to visit the 58th Biennale. Here is a diary of her trip:

Uncovering the life and vision of Margaret Gardiner

Feeling a long way from Orkney, my place of work and the place I call home, I arrived at Tate Britain on a grey October Monday morning. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before I was surrounded by the comfort and light of some familiar friends – Hepworth, Nicholson, Gabo and Wallis – artists who are a part of my everyday life in Stromness and whose work form the original gift from Margaret Gardiner, founder of the Pier Arts Centre. Spending the first hour of my day with some of Tate Britain’s inspirational collection works from those artists mentioned above, along with others of their oeuvre, was in many ways the perfect beginning for the two days I was about to embark on in their incredible archive, reading through articles and correspondence relating to Margaret Gardiner. Prior to my visit I had requested the files Margaret deposited at Tate, largely composed of letters to Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth, who were among her dearest friends. Margaret purchased works from both Nicholson and Hepworth – through her joy and passion for art, and as a means of supporting them through difficult times - and so too, from many of her other artist friends and acquaintances. The one underlining and indeed very important fact to point-out here was that Margaret never really wanted to acknowledge herself as a collector. And perhaps to that end, there is very little documentation of how she came into ownership of many of the works which now form the Pier Arts Centre’s core collection.

Shining a light

Being awarded the Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant and afforded the resources to make the journey down to London to have dedicated time to read through Margaret’s letters was both extremely valuable and eye-opening. There were many interesting threads which may well indicate how she came to purchasing or owning various pieces which form part of our collection – including an interesting tale of Hepworth’s Involute II (1946), and Nicholson’s 1929 (fireworks). I was able to take photos for my own personal research and take notes which will now form a platform for further investigation.

Carrying-out research into how Margaret’s collection came into being seems extremely prevalent as we celebrate our 40th anniversary year. We have been reflecting on and highlighting points of significance throughout our exhibition programme and have displayed various articles of particular interest. Having now gained an additional bank of knowledge from this research trip, there are indeed further notable items we could now add to our archive – and subsequently, we can use this newfound information to form new lines of enquiry.

The profile of Margaret Gardiner is one which we endeavour to raise awareness of – her visionary foresight accountable for the purchase of many significant artworks of British Modern art, such as those in our collection, and for the commissioning of works by artists who were at the forefront of the avant-garde. Research this year has uncovered details of Margaret’s relationship with Naum Gabo, in particular the commissioning of a maquette for Spiral Theme – which is detailed in a letter between Margaret and Gabo held in the Tate archive - shedding new light on the friendship which existed between them; highlighting the way she actively supported artists who were making ground-breaking work of their time. How we use this information is important, in terms of Margaret’s biography, the legacy of the Pier Arts Centre and its Collection, and within the wider context of art and culture.

 From London to Venice

After two full days of reading, I began the next leg of my trip fuelled with new knowledge and an appetite for more. Having never previously attended a Venice Biennale, I was intrigued, excited and eager to experience what was awaiting me. As I arrived, the iconic silhouette of the city appeared before me, bathed in golden Venetian sunshine, and I was soon to discover that the sheer scale and wonder of the biennale was going to far surpass any expectations I might have had. Suddenly all of the photos I had been exposed to following the 2019 biennale over the past few months came to life.

The Giardini

Exploring the national pavilions and exhibitions was a feast for the eyes and the soul. Starting with Spain and the work of Basque artists Itziar Okariz and Sergio Prego, I was confronted with a powerful message which appeared to run throughout this year’s exhibitions – an overriding voice connecting ideas of identity sexuality, subjectivity and environments shaped by power, communicated through mediums of artistic tradition. In this presentation, performance, film, body art and a postminimilism aesthetic are used as tools to carry-out a formal investigation between object and the space it occupies. Prego’s flesh-coloured, plasticised sculptures placed both inside the gallery and out into the garden beyond, both represent and question the malleability of materiality, and the fragility of one state in relation to another.

A particular highlight, not just from the Giardini but from the biennale as a whole, was seeing Cathy Wilkes’ new body of work for the British Pavilion. With visitor numbers restricted to 15 at any one time, as soon as you enter, you are afforded a welcoming sense of space away from the crowds – a breath in time. There is an eeriness, carrying with it a sense of loss; which sits alongside a feeling of loving, as value is placed on found objects and we are invited to make our own associations with their meaning, and also what we might consider beautiful. Walking through the exhibition there is a real focus on observation – the space given to the considerately placed artworks really captures you and forces you to look beyond any initial aesthetic. This is reinforced again as you are made to walk back through the galleries to exit the exhibition. Strikingly elegant and subtle, this exhibition left a real impression with me.

 In contrast to the sensitively muted palette and somewhat serene atmosphere of Wilkes, I later found myself in the Brazilian pavilion, my senses overwhelmed, with their presentation of Swinguerra from video artist duo Barbara Wagner and Benjamic de Burca. I could hear the deep base resonating within the pavilion before I arrived and as soon as I was immersed within its walls I was completely mesmerized. Swinguerra takes its title from ‘swingueira’, a popular dance movement in the north-east of Brazil, fused with the word guerra, meaning war. Two large parallel screens provide a spectacular backdrop which speaks of identity and self-representation within both contemporary Brazilian and international culture as we experience times of significant political and social turmoil. Every beat, every movement of each individual dancer increasingly builds together – each a component of the overall rhythm – creating a poetic structure which carries a collective voice. The artists have portrayed the dancers with such care and respect, it has an unquestionable honesty and an understanding which shines through every step and every pulse. The identities of each dancer are both genderless and without origin – they are one, through the powerful expression of dance.

Other notable personal highlights from the Giardini include Laure Provoust at the French Pavilion and her fluid, reflective response which takes us on a surreal journey of the self, and makes us question who we are and where we are going; and Stanislav Kolíbal at the Czech Pavilion whose work continues similar themes and feelings of uncertainty, blurring the boundaries between painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture. At the end of my biennale adventure day one, I felt so full – satisfied and comforted by what I’d already seen, and charged for what was still to come.

Arsenale

Day two, and I set off under epically blue skies, en route to the Arsenale and its vast complex of exhibition spaces. With the quieter subtleties from the previous day still fresh in my mind, in almost startling contrast I was met with a series of ambitious, monumental installations. Curated by Ralph Rugoff, current director of the Hayward Gallery London, within the magnificent setting of the Arsenale, I found Liu Wei’s installation Microworld (2018), composed of geometric shapes and forms, simply magic - spherical forms and large polished aluminium plates sit behind a glass wall, conjuring notions of a Modernist stage-set. Our relationship with the environment is called into question as we are exposed to the artist’s reflection of the ‘microscopic world’ – as the viewer stands behind the glass and inspects what lies beyond, we are invited to make our own associations, and to revel in our own imaginations a while. Equally as mysterious, Korean-American artist Anicka Yi’s Biologising the Machine (tentacular trouble), a series of hanging, incandescent sculptures made of a stretched leather-like kelp which are cocoon-like in form. For the viewer, they are meant to conjure up ideas of organisms and of internal organs – their aesthetic is like a skin and they look like they could indeed be living things; which is further enhanced by the use of bacteria combined with Venetian soil which provide a swamp-like ground below the sculptures, emitting a very specific smell.

The underlying sense of the monumental, in both its quieter and louder guises, was especially prevalent in the Irish Pavilion where Eva Rothschild’s installation The Shrinking Universe, did not disappoint. As one of the Pier Arts Centre’s Collection artists, I had been very much looking forward to seeing her biennale showcase. I was immediately drawn into the atmospheric space, the work inviting the viewer in amongst their many angles and voids. There is something very tactile about Rothschild’s work which connects you through a desire to engage with its surface – and through this relationship, you become a part of the artist’s world. Large resin blocks, dusted with spray paint in bright sugary colours are stacked up against the wall – they have a heaviness yet they feel light; and this airiness is further enhanced by slender lines of black gloss, a metal structure which appears to be suspended on air, dancing in different through the space in directions. This is magnified minimalism and pure materiality. I didn’t want to leave Rothschild’s world of freedom and dizzying delights.

But what better way to end the day than with a visit to Scotland + Venice and the chance to experience Charlotte Prodger’s single channel video SaF05. The work’s title refers to the name used by naturalists in the Okavango Delta in Botswana for a lioness that exhibits certain male characteristics. Prodger’s fascination with this idea led her to filming the area where one is believed to be still inhabiting, however they never managed to get any footage of her. The idea of human behaviour being folded back into animal behaviour runs throughout, as Prodger explores key periods in her personal history. The viewer is presented with subtle yet powerful imagery shot from around the world, which is accompanied by Charlotte’s narrative – stories of growing up, loss and of first experiences. I was very much reminded of Margaret Tait, Orcadian filmmaker whose work we have in the Pier Collection, particularly by the way she explores time, place and memory in such a poetic, authoritative way. It is intimate, intense at points and incredibly captivating - this was a very welcome retreat, offering a sense of stillness away from the surrounding hustle of the biennale. As SaF05 is set to tour Scotland, I am hopeful that I may get the chance to experience this mesmerising film once more and that the Pier might be able to play a part in continuing its legacy and the work of Scotland +Venice.

May You Live in Interesting Times

This overview is a mere scattering of what I saw over the course of my time at the biennale – even still, there are no words to sum up quite how phenomenal it was. Attending the Venice Biennale has been an ambition of mine for a long time, and I feel extremely grateful that I have been able to finally make that dream a reality thanks to the Art Fund’s Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grants Programme. Being exposed to such a large volume of contemporary art within the truly magnificent framework of the biennale has been such a rewarding experience - and a reminder that we really do live in interesting times. I would regard it as a both a personal and career highlight and one that I am sure will undoubtedly inform new ideas and concepts as I progress further along my curatorial path.

As we continue a programme of contemporary collecting at the Pier Arts Centre, everything I have learned and absorbed during this research trip can fuel next steps. It has enhanced my understanding of the current international dialogue and has made me extremely excited about what can be achieved. The sense of possibility is the feeling I have been left with most – in terms of strengthening our roots, and what’s gone before, but perhaps most importantly, what can be done to shape and define our future.

National Galleries of Scotland: Women Collectors Research Conference

Our Curatorial Assistant Kari Adams recently attended the National Galleries of Scotland’s Research Conference on Women Collectors. In this blog she shares her experiences at the event.

Communicating an Identity - recognising women collectors throughout art history

On Saturday 28th September I attended the Scottish National Galleries conference on the topic of Women Collectors presented as part of their annual Research Conference. The event gave host to 6 research papers, written and presented by influential women working within museums and galleries, exploring the role of the ‘woman collector’; in order to highlight, and, more often than not, uncover the significance of their endeavours throughout art history.

The reason for my attendance was to listen, to learn and to enjoy, but I was also there out of respect of the visionary foresight and remarkable gift of a collection by Margaret Gardiner (1904-2005) who founded the Pier Arts Centre in 1979. Without whom, the people of Orkney, and indeed the many beyond, would be unable to access and experience such a significant collection of British modern art. As we continue to celebrate our 40th anniversary year, celebrating other women benefactors through acknowledging and telling their stories on this day felt particularly poignant; and, on a personal level, made me all the more grateful for Margaret’s generosity and the importance of sharing her story too.

The initial question raised in the first paper, Two Hundred years of Women Benefactors of the National Gallery (presented by National Gallery Senior Research Curator Dr Susanna Avery-Quash and colleague, Curatorial Head of Department Christine Riding) of why is there no mention of women benefactors?, set the tone for the knowledge, ideas and considerations which followed. A repeating pattern very quickly emerged as to how this has happened; but the overall reasoning as to why is something which – as individuals and as public collections – we are still fighting for: giving women the recognition they deserve. Noteworthy points included were, 90% of artworks gifted by women in the National Gallery Collection are in the collection store at Trafalgar Square; and, in terms of documentation, the women donors’ names have become ‘separated’ from their gifts, giving way to their more significant male counterparts - which only adds to their invisibility, and underscores the thinking that ‘only the best’ bequests get pride of place. The National Gallery like many other institutions have been giving attention to women artists in recent years – for example, the acquisition of the seventeenth-century Italian Baroque portrait by Artemisia Gentileschi in 2018, which is to be followed by a major exhibition of her work in 2020 – the first solo exhibition on a historical female artist ever held by the National Gallery. This year has also seen a very significant bequest by artist Bridget Riley, who’s commissioned wall-based painting Messengers was influenced by their historic collection – engaging us in conversations surrounding the process of looking at art, and in relation to how we can adjust the gender-bias within national collections.

Image: Artemisia Gentileschi, 'Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria', about 1615-17, courtesy of The National Gallery

Image: Bridget Riley and our Director Gabriele Finaldi looking at 'Messengers' © 2019 Bridget Riley. All rights reserved/Photo: The National Gallery, London

Indeed, how we look and how we understand the world around us seems to lie at the very heart of this discussion. Each woman given mention, which included Georgiana Spencer, Queen Alexandra and Naomi Mitchison, created their own unique viewpoint – their gifted, sociable and intellectual endeavours making them both extraordinary women, within their own lifetime, and in terms of culture today. They were all women who created their own artistic and/or collection practices, giving voice and colour to a narrative - essentially communicating an identity which we must acknowledge. It is evident that an important feature of their contributions as collectors was not solely the buying but also the commissioning of artworks. Which, remains unquantifiable in terms of the foresight they had in giving recognition to artists who were driving forces of the avant-garde of their period. All of these women demonstrated taste and understanding for and of the artist of their time. And perhaps, the most common thread I found amongst this ground, was the gift they had for forming friendships.

Image: The Three Witches from Macbeth (Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne; Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire; Anne Seymour Damer) by Daniel Gardner, gouache and chalk, 1775
© National Portrait Gallery, London

Image: Photograph of the Princess of Wales, later Queen Alexandra, holding a No.1 Kodak camera at chest height. She is standing on the deck of a ship.

The No.1 Kodak camera was introduced in 1889 and took small circular photographs. There are many examples of these photographs in Queen Alexandra's album

© Royal Collections Trust

Dr Kate Cowcher, Lecturer in Art History at the University of St Andrews, presented From Kampala to Campbeltown: Naomi Mitchison and the Argyll Collection, and I couldn’t help but draw similarities between Mitchison and Margaret Gardiner. Both of these women really strived for what they believed in, more often than not for the greater good of others. Mitchison is highly regarded as one of the twentieth century’s most acclaimed writers and her friendships with artists such as Wynham Lewis are well-known. Mitchison’s idea for what is the Argyll Collection originated in the 1980s, which is perhaps the lesser known part of her story, raised questions of culture and education – ultimately, she wanted to give children who wouldn’t otherwise find themselves in an art gallery exposure to art. The ambitions of the collection were to expose Modern Scottish art, fuelled by her desire to buy ‘challenging things’. Mitchison showed a commitment to arts throughout her life, for example, the effect of WWII and the democratisation of the access of art, led Mitchison to auctioning commissions with Matisse and Picasso in the late 1940s. It was hard not to see the parallels with Margaret – both of these women through their friendships were actively supporting artists making ground-breaking work of their time. In 1941 Margaret commissioned Naum Gabo to make a maquette for J. D Bernal, supporting the production of new work during such difficult times allowed Gabo to ‘open a sluice-gate of creative waters’, for which he was extremely grateful. ‘I am very grateful to you, Margaret, for enticing me into doing that work. This construction has been in my mind for more than two years and I am glad that I made it now.’ (Hammer, M., extract from Constructing Modernity: The Career of Naum Gabo, (Yale University Press, 2000) p. 280. Gabo letter to Margaret Gardiner, 27th January 1942)

Margaret’s gift of her collection to the people of Orkney tells us many things about her story which we must not forget and we must acknowledge. Lack of documentation has perhaps been responsible for her role as a woman collector not being better known. That, and interestingly her dislike of the very word ‘collector’ itself – Margaret did not wish to be rendered as one, as she felt her artworks were as much or indeed more about the friendships they represented. Margaret’s many friendships with both literary and artistic figures, and particularly with the St. Ives artists – Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Margaret Mellis, and Terry Frost – are known and documented, mostly through correspondence amongst them. Margaret was very dear friends with Barbara Hepworth whom she was introduced to in 1930 through artist friend Solly Zuckerman. It was through this friendship that Margaret believed she really began ‘looking’ at art and started to develop a real taste and flare for visual things. She was very aware of the struggle her contemporaries faced, especially during the war years to keep producing artwork. Like the commissioning of the Gabo maquette, Margaret would purchase artworks from friends as a means to encourage their output and support them financially. Margaret’s ambition for the Pier Arts Centre was simple – she wanted to gift her works to a community who would otherwise not be exposed to such examples of British Modern art. Amongst other factors, creating a centre where local artists could display their work was of great importance. So to, Margaret was also very adamant there to be a ‘Children’s Room’ in the gallery when they were outlining plans for the Pier. A room which still functions with this intention at its core.

Image: Margaret Gardiner c. 1932 by Ramsay and Muspratt photographers

Image: Still Life by Margaret Gardiner

By the end of the conference, there was an overriding feeling that we were only just skimming the surface of who the women collectors we need to be recognising are, and to what extent they have contributed to collections. Each collector outlined represents a vast amount of research which has already gone into uncovering their individual stories. Which only leads to the fact that so much more has still to be done to fully expose the magnitude of their efforts. It is apparent, due to a lack of documentation in many cases, it sadly may well be the case that some stories are just forgotten. But all the more reason to do whatever we can to shine a light on the things we can find out. I am about to embark on a research trip to the Tate Archive in London, where I plan to look into the files pertaining to Margaret. We already know many wonderful and interesting threads of her story, such as those mentioned above, but I feel now more than ever it is important to keep going. How we use this information is also important, in terms of Margaret’s biography, the legacy of the Pier Arts Centre and its Collection, and within the wider context of art and culture. Margaret’s story only gets more compelling the further you explore, and it would be wonderful to think that through continued research we could inform many others of her life’s work. I would like to hope this is the first of many conferences which have the ability to raise awareness of women collectors, and maybe there will be more opportunity to share the joy of Margaret Gardiner in the future.

Image: Margaret Gardiner c. 1980 at the Pier Arts Centre
with Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture Curved Form (Trevalgan) 1956

As we continue to unfold Margaret’s original gift with contemporary collecting and a programme of education and events, how we feed this information into our efforts will hopefully underscore and encourage new and meaningful connections and relationships. As we look ahead to the very near future, the Pier is delighted to be working in partnership with the National Gallery, in collaboration with Contemporary Arts Society, with artist Rosalind Nashashibi who is the 2020 resident selected for their inaugural Modern and Contemporary programme. Click here to read more about the residency.