Headline shows
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) does two main exhibitions a year. This year it is “Art Deco 1910-39” (27 March-20 July) and “Gothic: Art in England 1400-1547” (9 October-18 January 2004). “Art Deco” later tours to Toronto, San Francisco and Boston.
The new face Mark Jones has been director for nearly two years, but it takes time to stamp your mark on an exhibition programme. The first show approved since his arrival will be “Exotic encounters: the meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800” (September 2004-January 2005), a good choice for a museum with an excellent Asian collection and at a time when close relations with the country’s substantial Asian community are increasingly desirable—and not just because government says so.
Tiaras versus terracottas
Last summer there were two major exhibitions. “Italian terracottas” was a critical success, but lacked the crowdpulling power of “Tiaras”. Mark Jones sees the importance of doing both types of show. With luck and good management, most of the costs of a big exhibition are recouped.
Who decides
A committee chaired by the director (predecessors, Alan Borg and Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, left this to their deputy directors) with the Heads of Exhibitions, Publications, Learning and Interpretation, Research, the Architecture Programme, Photography; the directors of Collections, Public Affairs, Collections Services, Finance, Development; the curator of the Contemporary Team, and the managing director of V&A Enterprises. They meet five times a year.
Who can propose
Anyone inside or outside the museum.
How far ahead do they plan The programme is pretty much fixed until the first half of 2007.
Blockbusters Over the past decade the most popular shows have been “The cutting edge” (on fashion) in 1997 and “Art Nouveau” in 2000, both with 231,000 visitors. “William Morris” in 1996 attracted 218,000.
Space Mark Jones has plans to redevelop the North Court, which is currently used for exhibitions, on the ground floor. This will be a slightly smaller space than at present, but it will be much better designed. It has been decided not to use the Cole Wing for exhibitions, but there are hopes to use a room currently occupied by National Art Library offices for smaller displays. There is also the new Contemporary Space, and contemporary art will eventually be shown in The Spiral, a new building designed by Daniel Libeskind which is on hold for lack of funding but with which Mark Jones is determined to proceed.
Innovation
Besides the obvious aims of showing material not normally on view, adding to scholarship, tackling major themes and bringing in new audiences, the director also sees exhibitions as a way to “try out new ideas”, which is more difficult in permanent galleries.
Searching for sponsors It is getting tougher, but Ernst & Young is backing “Art Deco”. A sponsor is still being sought for “Gothic”.
Plans
An“International Arts and Crafts” exhibition in 2005, and “Modernism” and “Leonardo” in 2006.
Permanent galleries vs exhibitions more energy may have to be devoted to re-doing dowdy galleries in the future.