To celebrate its long relationship with both the arts and the sciences, Ipswich Museum showed a specially-commissioned contemporary art installation called Art/Science/Life in February 2016. Artist Lucy Lyons worked in residence to create a new site-specific artwork inspired by the significant Natural Science collections, which were displayed in the atmospheric Octagon gallery of the former Art School.
Based at Acme Studios in North London, Dr Lyon’s practice uses drawing as research and has exhibited internationally. She has worked in several medical museums, and coordinates a performance and visual art research group at the Nordic Summer University in Denmark.
Alongside the new work, there were creative responses from partner organisations Pacitti Company and New Wolsey Theatre, as well as Lisa Temple-Cox, Ipswich Museum’s Artist Ranger. The exhibition was accompanied by a programme of events and workshops for both adults and children.
The exhibition also provided a ‘Drawing Room’ in one of the small galleries, which offered a selection of museum objects from the stores as inspiration and a range of drawing materials to work with. Visitors to the exhibition were invited to use this space to draw and display their work, so the gallery will slowly fill with artwork over the course of the exhibition.
This exciting new commission was funded as part of Ipswich Museum’s Happening on High Street programme funded by Arts Council England Grants for the Arts.
For more information visit Ipswich Art School Gallery.
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