Wikipedia

Usher Gallery

TheUsher Galleryis anart museuminLincoln, England.The gallery displays a collection of artworks by painters such asJ. M. W. TurnerandL. S. Lowry.Established in 1927, it is run as part ofLincoln Museum.

Usher Gallery
Front of the gallery
Map
Established1927;97 years ago(1927)
LocationLincoln,England
Coordinates53°13′56″N0°32′12″W/ 53.2321°N 0.536556°W/53.2321; -0.536556
TypeArt gallery
Websitewww.lincolnmuseum

History

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James Ward Usherwas born in Lincoln on 1 January 1845.[1]He was a son of James Usher, who founded a jeweller and watchmakers' business in 1837 on theLincoln High Street.Usher left school and joined his father's business, Usher and Son, after 1874. He painted pictures of his collections to illustrate his inventory. Usher visitedChristie'sauction in 1833 for the first time, and began collecting watches, ceramics from theMeissenandSèvresporcelain factories, English silver, enamels, and portrait miniatures. An enamelled thimble case, reportedly from the family ofCharlotte Brontë,is said to have been his favourite item. The right to use theLincoln Impin his work increased the popularity of his collections, with thePrince of Walesseen wearing a pin with the imp (reportedly a gift from Usher). Usher died in 1921, leaving considerable funds to build a gallery. He had never married, and his will requested that his collection be stored in a museum bearing his name.[2]City librarian A. R. Corns was appointed director of the library, museum and Usher Art Gallery in March 1927. The gallery, designed byReginald Blomfield,was opened on 25 May 1927 by thePrince of Wales.

The gallery is a stone-faced building with brick panels separated by simplified Tuscanpilastersunder afriezedecorated withtriglyphsand a roof line finished with abalustrade.Theportico,in the centre of the south façade, is topped by a brokenpedimentand urnfinials.It is in a small park on the south-facing hill, overlooking the lower town.[3]

Lincolnshire's only purpose-built public art gallery,[4]it is a Grade II*listed building.[5][6]The gallery is owned by the Lincoln City Council, and leased to theLincolnshire County Council.[7]

Development

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The City and County Museum merged with the Usher Gallery. The government[citation needed]decided to create a museum in 1906, and Arthur Smith was appointed curator. Smith, born in 1869, was a fellow of theLinnean Societyand theRoyal Entomological Society.In 1896, he was a founder and honorary secretary of the Grimsby and District Naturalist Society. Smith collected local materials and, by 1906, had amassed thousands of objects from available collections, donors and new discoveries. This was the core of the museum, which contained objects ranging from the excavated and natural to decorative art andethnography.Important materials owned by theLincoln Cathedraland the Lincoln Mechanical Institute, and earlier collections which had never been publicly recognised, were under one roof at the museum. Smith retired in 1935, and in 1974 the Usher Gallery was considered the county's archaeological museum.

Modern art programme

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Further information:3D printing processes

Three-dimensional scanning technology, which enables the capture of an object's form of and its storage as a digital file, is closing the gap between physical and digital objects. Essential museum activities, such as collecting, management, conservation, research and the presentation of a collection to the public, are focal points of 3D technological research.[8]3D printingwas used in 2012, when Lincoln decided that the gallery would house contemporary art. The gallery's 3D scanning project was implemented by artist Oliver Laric, who suggested that 3D models could be downloaded asSTL fileswithout copyright limitations.[9]The scanning project can be used for several materials, including ceramics, paper, and metal. Although 3D scans can be downloaded from the gallery's website, they are not a substitute for the artistic work.[5]

Collections

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The gallery displays a range of objects, including examples of modern and contemporary visual art, portrait and landscape paintings, sculpture, paper works, photographs, and decorative art.[5]It has two floors; the first floor is a temporary-exhibition gallery, and the ground floor displays objects from the permanent collection.[10]Examples include the portrait ofJoseph Banksby American artistBenjamin West,views of Lincoln by L. S. Lowry, and modern works byJohn Piper.The gallery's sculpture collections include a tree-ring sculpture byEdward Allington,and the decorative-arts collection contains ceramics, glass, silver enamel and jewellery. Paintings include portraits of unknown ladies.[11]

Donations

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The artworks and artefacts are as a result of the generosity of organisations and people over the past decade, and the museum is grateful to all those who have contributed. The collection of artworks and objects is guided by a collection-development strategy.[9]The museum is always ready to discuss offers of donations. The fine-art collection has continued to grow along with the decorative-arts collection because of the contributions made through bequests, gifts, commissions, and purchases. Generous grants have led to the growth of the decorative-arts collection. Organisations and local people have assembled collections of watches, porcelain, and miniatures.[5]

Activities

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Education

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The gallery[12]is conducting an educational programme. The Museum Apprentice Activity offers children aged 5–11 art workshops during long school holidays or a half-term of Saturdays. Gallery staff also provide resources and professional services.[5]Children with special educational needs and adults are also accepted by a dedicated course designer.[9]

Archaeological-project archives

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The museum has long been associated with the archaeological inquiry, research, and survey, and the Lincoln Archaeological Committee was the first organised body to study Lincoln's early history in 1945. Most of the early surveys, local investigations, and archaeological projects are carried out at this museum by universities, private researchers, and archaeological contractors.[5]People with inquiries about archaeological fieldwork are asked to consult the Archeological Archives Deposition Guidelines, which contain the processes and requirements for depositing archaeological projects in the archives.[13]

Modern and contemporary art programme

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In 1946, the gallery founded a programme which invites contemporary artists and curators to showcase their work (including modern British art).[5]Contemporary artists were invited to curateArts Council Collectiondisplays in 2013. Modern masters whose work was displayed the following year includedPablo Picasso,Andy Warhol,Henri Matisse,andSalvador Dalí.[9]

Funding

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Most support for the gallery has come from organisations who provide resources and funding for its activities.[14]The contemporary-art programme received a significant financial contribution from theArts Council England.Most of the permanent artworks have been purchased by a group of long-standing partners known as the Art Fund. Academic partners, such as Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, have also helped to support the gallery's educational programme.[5]The Arts Council supports the gallery's temporary collections.[15]

Proposals for partial closure

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In January 2019, Lincolnshire County Council proposals to use part of the gallery for celebrations (such as weddings) and move some of its collection to a neighbouring museum were criticised as making the art less accessible. According to a Lincolnshire county councillor, the proposals would have helped to reduce the council's heritage budget by about £750,000 per year.[13]Following discussions between the county council and the City of Lincoln Council, the Usher Gallery will remain open but the lease will be amended to enable third-party hire and ceremonies, and Lincoln's museum and art collections will remain in Lincolnshire.[16][17]

Recent exhibitions[18][19]

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  • Community Choice,10 June – 8 October 223
  • Re:Collection– exhibition of works by MA Fine Art students from theUniversity of Lincoln,29 April – 3 June 2023
  • David Remfry:A Moment Captured,28 January – 1 May 2023
  • Best Art Vinyl: Album Artwork Through the Ages,22 October 2022 – 22 January 2023
  • Usher Open Exhibitions: Art Out of Isolation,1 October 2022 – 8 January 2023
  • Microworld: Lincoln,9 July – 2 October 2022
  • Lincolnshire Artists' SocietySummer Exhibition 2022
  • Rachel Carter: Pilgrim Woman,20 November 2022 – 2 January 2022
  • Laura Wilson, Old Salt,20 May 2021 – 23 August 2021

References

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  1. ^"History of the Usher Gallery | The Collection".thecollectionmuseum.Retrieved13 May2019.
  2. ^"The foundation of the Usher Gallery"(PDF).
  3. ^"James Ward Usher".Famous Yellowbellies.BBC Lincolnshire.
  4. ^"Usher Gallery".Artuk.org.Retrieved11 March2019.
  5. ^abcdefghHistoric England."The Usher Art Gallery (Grade II*) (1388632)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved13 May2019.
  6. ^Historic England."Wall and gatepiers (Grade II) (1388634)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved8 July2013.
  7. ^Whitelam, Paul (23 July 2019)."Disappointed Lincoln city council leader urges rethink on Usher Gallery plan".Lincolnshire Live.Retrieved30 July2019.
  8. ^Younan, Sarah (31 December 2015)."Poaching Museum Collections using Digital 3D Technologies".Journal of Science and Technology of the Arts.7(2): 25.doi:10.7559/citarj.v7i2.152.ISSN1646-9798.
  9. ^abcd"Usher Gallery | Art UK".artuk.org.Art UK.Retrieved13 May2019.
  10. ^"Archaeology at The Collection | The Collection".thecollectionmuseum.Retrieved13 May2019.
  11. ^"Art of Robert Peake the Elder & Younger".Pinterest.Retrieved13 May2019.
  12. ^"Usher Gallery | Culture24".culture24.org.uk.Retrieved13 May2019.
  13. ^ab"Artists oppose gallery wedding venue plan".31 January 2019.Retrieved13 May2019.
  14. ^"Archaeological Project Archives | The Collection".thecollectionmuseum.Retrieved13 May2019.
  15. ^"Welcome to The Collection Museum, Lincoln | The Collection".thecollectionmuseum.Retrieved31 May2019.
  16. ^"Agreement reached on future of the Usher Gallery".Lincolnshire County Council.Retrieved2 February2022.
  17. ^Jaines, Daniel (20 August 2021)."Lincoln art gallery's future looks to be secure as councils agree deal".Lincolnshire Live.Retrieved2 February2022.
  18. ^"Lincoln Museum & Usher Gallery – Exhibitions".Lincoln Museum.Retrieved19 May2023.
  19. ^"Previously at Lincoln Museum".Lincoln Museum.Retrieved19 May2023.
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