Newlyn Art Gallery

Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall from the rear showing the progress of the new extension, December 2006

Newlyn Art Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in Newlyn, Cornwall, UK. Opened in 1895, designed by James Hicks of Redruth and financed by John Passmore Edwards the gallery was conceived as a home and exhibition venue for the Newlyn School of Art the works of which are now largely located at Penlee House Gallery and Museum in nearby Penzance.

For almost 120 years, Newlyn Art Gallery has been bringing the best in contemporary art to audiences in the south west. In 2007 the gallery was redeveloped and a second venue, The Exchange in Penzance, was opened. With two venues it offers a wide and varied programme across two sites, showcasing the very best of national and international contemporary art, as well as work by some of the best artists currently working in the region.

Newlyn has played an important role in supporting the development of 20th-century painting in Britain, and in acknowledgement of that history, our current programme seeks to reflect the ways in which contemporary artists, working in this country and internationally, use painting and drawing to express their ideas. The focus at Newlyn Art Gallery is on painting and drawing. Artists working in other media continue to be a part of the programme on occasions, but two-dimensional work is the clear focus. Recent shows have included major retrospectives by Roger Hilton and Breon O’Casey.

At Newlyn Art Gallery,the pavilion on the seaward side of the gallery is a glass structure on ground-floor level, which supports a first floor clad in wet-laid Cornish slate, a building method specific to the region, but rarely seen in modern buildings.The glass curtain wall allows panoramic views of Newlyn Green and the sea while sliding doors lead to a secluded garden and outdoor seating area. The versatile Lower Gallery presents small exhibitions, projects and events. The Education Room & Studio Cafe on the first floor of the pavilion has a vast window offering panoramic views across Mount's Bay, as well as a skylight the length of the gabled ceiling.

As a dog-friendly venue, well-behaved dogs on leads are welcomed in the gallery.

The Exchange

At The Exchange the huge gallery is regularly used as a project space in which artists and curators test new ideas, from The Penzance Convention held in May 2012, to Shezad Dawood’s astounding exhibition running summer 2012. A major contemporary art space, The Exchange enables audiences to see work on a scale never before accessible in the region. It is also used as a venue for live performances, film screenings and community events. The Exchange has a striking undulating glass façade which runs the entire length of the building, a former telephone exchange. A dramatic, changing light display, designed by Penwith-based artist Peter Freeman illuminates the glass panels according to the exhibitions and time of day and year. At the centre of The Exchange is the large T-shaped Gallery, double the size of Newlyn’s. The unique shape and proportions provide a versatile and welcoming showing space. Retaining much of the industrial feel of the original Telephone Exchange, the Gallery is a noticeable contrast to the Victorian Gallery at Newlyn.

External links

• Newlyn Art Gallery