Tag Archive for 'NML'

Ancient Egyptian Adventure reaches the final chapter

Meretseger,-the-Cobra-goddess

MUSEUM DRAMA ENDS
Ancient Egyptian Adventure reaches the final chapter

More than 6000 children across Merseyside went on an Egyptian adventure – without even leaving their schools! They all took part in Ancient Egyptian Adventure – The Secret of the Jewelled Heart, an ambitious collaboration between National Museums Liverpool and theatre Hope Street Ltd that draws to a close this month.

Actors performed the atmospheric show to children inside a ‘pyramid tomb’ stage set, as part of a day of ancient Egyptian activity. The theatre and museum worked together to find new and innovative ways of exciting young people about ancient history and museum collections. The unique ‘spectacle’ has been taken into 60 selected schools in Liverpool, St Helens and Knowsley. The experiment is part of the government’s Find Your Talent pathfinder which aims to get young people into creative and cultural activities.

Continue reading ‘Ancient Egyptian Adventure reaches the final chapter’

More than 2.2 million Visitors for National Museums Liverpool in 2009

Two million flock to city museums
Visits to National Museums Liverpool on the up…

More than 2.2 million people visited National Museum venues Liverpool last year – a 14% rise on 2007.
The city’s eight free museums and galleries are proving to be a big hit according to new figures released by The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA).

In 2009 National Museums Liverpool venues attracted a total of 2,282,562 people. This compares to 2,010,666 in 2007.

Merseyside Maritime Museum is now the second most popular museum in the UK outside of London.  It receives more visitors than the Imperial War Museum in London and the National Railway Museum in York.

Continue reading ‘More than 2.2 million Visitors for National Museums Liverpool in 2009′

A Night at the New Museum of Liverpool

It seems we are now officially VIPs so we were invited to spend lots of money to attend a dinner to celebrate the completion of the building of the new Museum of Liverpool last Thursday (11/2/2010).

The building is fantastic and so are the views of course. The place is empty now but over the next year it will be fitted out with all the exciting Liverpool-related museum items.

We were entertained by the RLPO, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, The Katona Twins, Roger McGough and Pete Price. Not forgetting the Phil Redmond and David Fleming double act too.

I can hardly wait for it to open to the public in 2011 when the whole waterfront from the Arena through to Princes dock will be buzzing more than it ever has since the legendary days of the ‘thriving port’

You can read all about this very exciting project on the MoL website

All photos by Minako Jackson

Liverpool’s Chinatown through the lens competition

National Museums Liverpool Blog – Liverpool’s Chinatown through the lens competition.

Via the NML Blog…

The pioneering photojournalist John Thomson travelled for years through China with a lot of heavy, cumbersome equipment to take the incredible photos that are now featured in the China through the lens of John Thomson 1868-1872 exhibition at Merseyside Maritime Museum.

We don’t expect you to go to such lengths for our latest competition. Instead we’d like you to take your nice light modern cameras or camera phones on a journey to explore Liverpool’s Chinatown and Chinese culture.

Enter your photos into our Liverpool’s Chinatown through the lens group on Flickr to take part in the competition. On 24 May 2010 we’ll choose our favorite photo and the person who took it will win a banquet meal for two with wine at Liverpool’s longest-established Chinese restaurant, Yuet Ben. Two runners-up will each receive a copy of the China through the lens of John Thomson 1868-1872 exhibition catalogue.

During the course of the competition we will feature some of our favourite photos from the group here on the blog and the winning photo will be featured on the blog and exhibition website.

For example you can submit photos of Liverpool’s Chinese arch, the Chinese New Year celebrations, buildings, people, or even a local restaurant which has a special place in your life!

If you need inspiration you might like to check out some of our free Chinese New Year events which are taking place at Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Lady Lever Art Gallery and World Museum over the next couple of weeks.

REMINDER – Deadline to Register For John Moores Prize is 19 Feb 2010

FINAL CALL FOR ENTRIES
Last chance to enter Walker Art Gallery’s major art prize

The last chance to register for Britain’s biggest contemporary painting competition, John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize 2010, is Friday 19 February 2010.

With a first prize of £25,000 (cash prize) and four further prizes of £2,500 each for the runner’s up, this is one of the most illustrious events in the British art world.

The judging will take place throughout 2010 and will result in an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery from 18 September 2010 to 3 January 2011, forming a central part of the Liverpool Biennial. This year the popular Visitors’ Choice prize will award its winner £2010.

The jurors form a strong team of experience and expertise, with former Royal Academy Exhibitions Secretary Sir Norman Rosenthal joined by contemporary artists Goshka Macuga and Gary Hume, Liverpool-born artist Ged Quinn and painter Alison Watt.

The John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize is an open submission competition available to all UK-based artists working with paint. Previous winners have included David Hockney, Peter Doig and Michael Raedecker.

The final deadline for artists to register is 19 February 2010 – online registration can be found on www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/johnmoores.

Images must be sent in by 5 March 2010 and winners will be announced at the opening of the exhibition.

Littlewoods founder Sir John Moores, a keen painter, started the exhibition in 1957. In the last 50 years nearly 2,000 artists have exhibited. More than 100 people have sat on the jury including singer Jarvis Cocker, writer Germaine Greer and artists Peter Blake, Tracey Emin and Jake and Dinos Chapman. The Moores family remain involved through the Walker’s partnership with the John Moores Liverpool Exhibition Trust.

Entries have to be original, new or recent paintings within a set size, designed to hang on walls, by someone who lives, or is based, in the United Kingdom. Full conditions are on the website. Judges will see all shortlisted artworks at Stage 2 of the judging process.

You can now follow the progress of the competition at: http://twitter.com/JohnMoores2010

VIDEO: Process of working – Sculptor, Emma Rodgers

Via National Museums Liverpool

A video with sculptor, Emma Rodgers, talking about her process of creating her work. It was filmed in her studio for the Rise of Women Artists exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery.

1897 Liverpool Overhead Railway Footage to be Screened

Liverpool Overhead Railway motor coach number 3, 1892

Liverpool Overhead Railway motor coach number 3, 1892

1897 OVERHEAD RAILWAY FOOTAGE TO BE SCREENED
Lumière Brothers’ film showcased to public at FACT

Members of the public are invited to attend a free lecture and screening showcasing new findings on the famous Lumière Brothers’ Liverpool Overhead Railway films, as part of the public programme for the new Museum of Liverpool, due to open in Spring 2011.

The screening will take place at FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) on Friday 29 January from 1 – 4pm, featuring highlights of the film shot by Alexandre Promio in 1897, introduced by Dr Richard Koeck from the University of Liverpool.

Dr Koeck will share insights into his research and ongoing production of the film animations that will contextualise and reference the original Lumière archive footage with historical maps of the time, and retrace the precise route of the films.
Continue reading ‘1897 Liverpool Overhead Railway Footage to be Screened’

Artwork of the Week – John R Isaacs

stockbrokers_snowballs

Liverpool artwork of the week 2010-2. ‘The Liverpool Exchange, January 5th, 1854′, by John R Isaacs in National Museums Liverpool Winter Online exhibition

An appropriate picture for recent weather conditions I think. I wonder if anything like this took place in Liverpool’s commercial district this year? I doubt it, people would fear being taken to court.

There are several interesting artworks in this online Winter exhibition on the NML website.

This lithograph shows Liverpool stockbrokers in their top hats enjoying a huge snowball fight outside of the Liverpool Exchange, Exchange Square, on 5 January 1854. It was sketched by John R Isaac, draughtsman and lithographer, Castle Street, Liverpool.