The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, in Stoke on Trent, currently has several exciting exhibitions on display, open to the public. The ‘Blue’ exhibition, on until Sunday 28th October 2018, invites visitors to explore all aspects the colour blue, using artworks, objects and much more! The ‘For the Fallen’ exhibition, will display a WW1 banner that has never been on public display, commemorating the centenary end of the Great War. This will be on show until Sunday 18th November 2018.
Blue
‘Blue’, on display on the ground floor of the museum, explores all things blue from its symbolism to its chemical compounds! The exhibition has been divided into four main sections: Seeing Blue, Feeling Blue, Thinking Blue and Making Blue.
Feeling Blue
The ‘Feeling Blue’ section of the exhibition explores how blue can affect our senses, feelings and what we associate with the colour. Included in this, is the exploration of the symbolic and religious meaning behind the colour blue. Alongside representations of the Virgin, a pottery figure by Royal Doulton is also included. Titled ‘The Return of Persephone’, this is a very rare piece of Doulton which was produced in 1913. It depicts the goddess Persephone (the Goddess of Spring) returning from the Underworld, to her mother Demeter (the Goddess of the Harvest) during the spring equinox. The exhibition explains the strong religious iconography associated with blue and maternal care.
Also included in the exhibition is a painting by artist Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell (1883–1937) called ‘Blue and Orange’ (N/D). Cadell was a Scottish Colourist, preferring the use of bright colour and pronounced brushwork in artworks. The artist presents a still life painting, with a bold blue jug as the centrepiece, surrounded by strong orange, yellow and green tones. The accompanying material encourages the viewer to study the colouristic values of the painting and how the deep blue of the jug, makes the opposing orange colours appear warmer and brighter.
This exhibition is a detailed and intriguing take on all of the aspects of the colour blue.
Blue will be on display until Sunday 28th October 2018.
Free Admission
For more information please click here.
For the Fallen
The ‘For the Fallen’ exhibition will present a 22-meter-long painted wall hanging, which has never before been on display to the public. It depicts a panorama of the battlefields where the 5th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment, fought in the First World War.
The banner was created in the 1920s, developed with the support of ex- soldiers and members of the British Legion. It will be supplemented with archives and objects relating to the end of the First World War. Proceeds from the exhibition will be used to help conserve the banner.
Admission costs are £5 with concessions costing £3 (children under 16 free). This will also include entry to a partner exhibition at the museum titled, ‘Commemorating Conflict: The Potteries and War’ which explores how Staffordshire chose to commemorate the wars of the 18th and 19th centuries.
For further information please click here.
