Latest news with #V&A
STV News
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
Dundee school launch stitcher appeal for 150th anniversary tapestry
Pupils and teachers at a Dundee primary school are appealing for volunteer stitchers to help them create a special tapestry marking their 150th anniversary. Downfield Primary School had taken inspiration from the Dundee Tapestry, displayed at the city's V&A Museum throughout last year. The design of the tapestry will detail how school life has changed over the last 150 years, with sections including stationery, PE lessons and even school dinners. STV News Head teacher Karen Emmett said: 'We were inspired by the work of the V&A and local stitchers that created the Dundee Tapestry. 'We used it as a learning tool for the children to learn about the past and to learn about Dundee. 'It coincided with the school's 150th birthday and we just thought what better way to capture the school's own history. 'The children are involved in stitching and in history, and it's literally weaving the two together.' STV News Karen Emmett, Downfield Primary School Head Teacher STV News The Dundee Tapestry was on display throughout last year at the city's V&A museum, and attracted tens of thousands of visitors. The hand-stitched artwork, consisting of 35 hand-stitched panels, was created by over 140 volunteers from Dundee and the surrounding area. Some of those volunteers are now assisting Downfield Primary with their artwork. STV News Volunteer, Sarah Houstoun, is encouraging more people to get involved in the project. STV News 'I am delighted to be involved,' said volunteer Sarah Houstoun. 'It's just lovely to see children engaging in such a project. 'Unlike the Dundee tapestry, this one is going to be on show for everyone to see all the time. 'That, I think, is really exciting because you're going to have generations of people coming in – the young excited to show their grandparents their ideas and for the elder generation to say 'oh, it was like this in my day.'' The school will run the first stitching sessions in July, with pupils getting hands-on experience when they return after their summer holidays in August. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
London museum opens vast ‘on-demand' storehouse to public
A visitor looking at the artefacts exhibited in the newly opened museum V&A East Storehouse in East London on June 12. PHOTO: AFP LONDON – Imagine being able to visit a museum and examine up close thousand-year-old pottery, revel alone in jewellery from centuries past or peer inside a Versace bag. Now, London's V&A has launched a revolutionary new exhibition space, where visitors can choose from some 250,000 objects, order something they want to spend time looking at and have it delivered to a room for a private viewing. Most museums have thousands of precious and historic items hidden away in their stores, which the public never gets to see or enjoy. But the V&A East Storehouse, which opened on May 31 in a specially converted warehouse, has come up with a radical new concept. And it is totally free. Senior curator Georgia Haseldine said: 'Museums should be and are for everybody... the V&A's collection is for everybody. It belongs to everybody, and everyone should be able to have free, equitable and meaningful access to it. 'So, this is a world first. Never has anyone been able to be invited freely, without having to book into the same space as a national collection, on this scale.' One-fifth of the museum's total collection is now available to be viewed and enjoyed in the four-storey building on the former site of the 2012 London Olympic Games. No protective glass British drummer Keith Moon's drum kit is among some 250,000 objects available to the public for viewing. PHOTO: AFP 'It's fantastic, it's so much better than an ordinary museum,' said retired physics teacher Jane Bailey as she toured the floors. 'I'm just really, really impressed by it. We've only just heard about it, but it's phenomenal.' She was transfixed by the sight of the drum kit which belonged to Keith Moon from English rock band The Who, saying it would be great to be able to resuscitate the legendary drummer – who died in 1978 – to play a set for them. Jostling for space side by side on shelves in a massive hangar – which resembles a do-it-yourself commercial warehouse and stretches for more than 30 basketball courts – are everything from ceramics and tapestries to paintings and toys from the Tudor period. There is even the whole 15th-century gilded wooden ceiling from the now-lost Torrijos Palace in Spain; and the Kaufmann Office, a panelled room which is the only complete Frank Lloyd Wright interior outside the United States. The gilded ceiling from the now-lost Torrijos Palace, originally from the town of Torrijos near Toledo in Spain, at the V&A East Storehouse. PHOTO: AFP Hanging on display is the stunning stage front cloth made for Le Train Bleu – a copy of a Pablo Picasso painting that was specially designed for the 1924 Ballets Russes production. Its huge size means it has rarely been seen since its stage debut. There is no protective glass. The stage front cloth made for Le Train Bleu – a copy of a Pablo Picasso painting that was specially designed for the 1924 Ballets Russes production – at the V&A East Storehouse. PHOTO: AFP One of the first visitors to the Storehouse was Princess Catherine, a patron of the V&A and keen art lover, who took a tour on June 10. She described the collection as 'eclectic' as she used the 'order an object' system to look at a samples book from renowned 19th-century English textiles designer William Morris, as well as rolls of ornate textiles and a musical instrument. An example of a Frankfurt Kitchen, which is the first type of fitted kitchen, on show at the V&A East Storehouse. PHOTO: AFP All the works are available to the public seven days a week, and can be reserved via an online booking system for a private viewing at a date and time of your choice. Members of staff are on hand paying close attention as visitors don purple gloves and satisfy their curiosity, spending time with the object of their choice. A love letter to objects It is a huge departure from the usual admonishment of 'Don't touch!' found in most museums seeking to protect their objects from damage. Dr Haseldine acknowledged 'we have certainly met with some levels of scepticism and worry'. But she said once the idea was explained properly, including how meaningful it is to start to open up and give collections back to a community, 'people just start to think creatively about how we can do this'. American national Manuel Garza, who lives in London, thought the V&A Storehouse was 'one of the most interesting spaces that just opened up here in London'. One-fifth of the V&A museum's total collection is now available to be viewed at the V&A East Storehouse, which is in the four-storey building on the former site of the 2012 London Olympic Games. PHOTO: AFP Dr Haseldine said 'this building is a love letter to objects'. 'To be able to see around the back of an object, to be able to look inside a dress, to be able to see the bottom of a pot – all these things are how we really learn about our material culture,' she added. A Glastonbury Festival painted bin at the V&A East Storehouse. PHOTO: AFP Expert Kate Hill, who teaches cultural history at Lincoln University, said it is unusual for museums to open up their storehouses. 'Most of the time, they offer some 'behind-the-scene' tour, but their objets are not accessible. It's visible, but not accessible.' Ms Bailey said: 'I would hope that this is the museum of the future because some are very, very stuffy. We went to one recently and it was excruciating.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Kate praises work of children's hospices days after missing Royal Ascot
Kate paid tribute to the support provided by the 54 institutions that specialise in caring for society's youngest at the end of their lives and 'lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play'. In a surprise move on Wednesday, Kate missed Royal Ascot for the second successive year as she seeks the right balance following her treatment for cancer. Since announcing in January she is in remission, the princess has been gradually returning to public duties. Her appearances have increased in recent weeks, attending three high-profile events – Trooping the Colour, the annual Order of the Garter service, and a visit to a V&A storage facility in London. It is understood Kate is trying to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements that have featured an element of flexibility since her cancer diagnosis. Kate's written message, posted on social media ahead of the end of Children's Hospice Week this weekend, said: 'No parent expects to hear that their child has a serious health condition that could shorten their life. 'Sadly, this is the reality faced by thousands of families across the country, leaving them heart-broken, fearful of the future and often desperately isolated.' Speaking in her role as royal patron of two children's hospices, she added: 'Being able to access the support of one of the UK's 54 children's hospices means they don't have to face that future alone. 'As patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices and Ty Hafan Children's Hospice in South Wales, I have the immense privilege of seeing for myself the extraordinary work of our children's hospices. 'Lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play, as well as listening, holding, caring and sharing, they support children and families through life, death and beyond. 'This Children's Hospice Week, I hope you will join me in celebrating the life-changing work they do and thanking them for the vital care they provide to children and families experiencing the most challenging times.' The national Children's Hospice Week is led by children's palliative care charity Together for Short Lives and the event is dedicated to raising awareness of children's hospice services. Nick Carroll, chief executive officer of Together for Short Lives, said about Kate: ''Her ongoing support for Children's Hospice Week over many years has helped to raise much-needed awareness of the life-changing work children's hospices do, every day of the year. 'Their extraordinary lifeline care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses enables families to make the most of their lives together, whether that's for years, months or only hours.'
Evening Standard
2 days ago
- Health
- Evening Standard
Kate praises work of children's hospices days after missing Royal Ascot
Since announcing in January she is in remission, the princess has been gradually returning to public duties. Her appearances have increased in recent weeks, attending three high-profile events – Trooping the Colour, the annual Order of the Garter service, and a visit to a V&A storage facility in London.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
London museum opens vast 'on-demand' storehouse to public - Visual Art - Arts & Culture
Imagine being able to visit a museum and examine up close thousand-year-old pottery, revel alone in jewellery from centuries past or peer inside a Versace bag. Now London's V&A has launched a revolutionary new exhibition space, where visitors can choose from some 250,000 objects, order something they want to spend time looking at, and have it delivered to a room for a private viewing. Most museums have thousands of precious and historic items hidden away in their stores, which the public never gets to see or enjoy. But the V&A Storehouse, which opened on May 31 in a specially converted warehouse, has come up with a radical new concept. And it is totally free. "Museums should be and are for everybody ... the V&A's collection is for everybody. It belongs to everybody, and everyone should be able to have free, equitable, and meaningful access to it," said senior curator Georgia Haseldine. "So this is a world first, never has anyone been able to be invited freely, without having to book into the same space as a national collection, on this scale." One fifth of the museum's total collection is now available to be viewed and enjoyed in the four-storey building on the former site of the 2012 London Olympic Games. - No protective glass - "It's fantastic, it's so much better than an ordinary museum," enthused retired physics teacher Jane Bailey as she toured the floors. "I'm just really, really impressed by it. We've only just heard about it, but it's phenomenal." She was transfixed by the sight of the black and red drum kit which belonged to Keith Moon, from the band The Who, saying it would be great to be able to resuscitate the legendary drummer who died in 1978, to play a set for them. Jostling for space, side-by-side on shelves in a massive hanger which resembles a DIY warehouse and stretches for more than 30 basketball courts, are everything from ceramics and tapestries, to paintings and toys from the Tudor period. There is even a whole 15th-century gilded wooden ceiling from the now-lost Torrijos Palace in Spain, and the Kaufmann Office, a panelled room which is the only complete Frank Lloyd Wright interior outside of the United States. Also on display is a stunning 12-metre tall (40-foot) stage cloth made for a 1924 Ballets Russes show, "Le Train Bleu". The copy of a Pablo Picasso painting is so huge it has been rarely seen since its stage debut. There is no protective glass. One of the first visitors to the Storehouse was Princess Catherine, a patron of the V&A and keen art lover, who took a tour on Tuesday. She described the collection as "eclectic" as she used the "order an object" system to look at a samples book from renowned 19th century English textiles designer William Morris as well as rolls of ornate textiles and a musical instrument. All the works are available to the public seven days a week, and can be reserved via an online booking system for a private viewing at a date and time of your choice. Members of staff are on hand paying close attention as visitors don purple gloves and satisfy their curiosity, spending time with the object of their choice. - 'Love letter' - It's a huge departure from the usual admonishment of "Don't touch!" found in most museums seeking to protect their objects from damage. Curator Haseldine acknowledged "we have certainly met with some levels of scepticism and worry". But she said once the idea was explained properly, including "how meaningful it is to... start to open up and give collections back to a community... people just start to think creatively about how we can do this." American Manuel Garza said he thought the V&A Storehouse was "one of the most interesting spaces that just opened up here in London". Haseldine said "this building is a love letter to objects". "To be able to see around the back of an object, to be able to look inside a dress, to be able to see the bottom of a pot, all these things are how we really learn about our material culture," she added. Expert Kate Hill, who teaches cultural history at Lincoln University, said "it's pretty unusual for museums to open up their storehouses". "Most of the time they offer some 'behind the scene' tours, but their objects are not accessible. It's visible but not accessible." Visitor Jane Bailey said: "I would hope that this is the museum of the future, because some are very, very stuffy. We went to one recently and it was excruciating." Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
