Works of art, including creations by Turner Prize-nominated artists, are being loaned to the public as part of an exhibition at De Montfort University Leicester’s Gallery.
The Art Lending Library, created by Glasgow-based artists Zoe Walker and Neil Bromwich, allows you to borrow any of 57 works which are then crated up by an ‘Art Handler’ – wearing cap and overalls – before it is delivered to your home and installed.
Neil and Zoe of Walker & Bromwich in front of their Art Lending Library
Two weeks later the art work is collected and taken back to the Art Lending Library, and you can then borrow another piece.
Turner Prize-nominated artists Ciara Phillips and Marvin Gaye Chetwynd have exhibits up for loan as well as artists from around the globe. A number of pieces have also been created by DMU Fine Art and Design Crafts students and the 57 pieces include paintings, sculptures and video installations.
The Art Lending Library was officially opened last night when a band and flag bearers marched past the city's Jubilee Square and through the campus.
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Third year Design Crafts student Morgan Stockton has a hand-blown glass sculpture on display which she created in DMU’s glass blowing workshop.
Morgan Stockton with Fine Art student Jorge Uriza, who is an 'Art Handler'
She said: “It is a nice thing to be in such a collaborative show with so many other artists and it is great to have this interaction with the public.
“I like the idea of my work going to someone’s house as it puts the art in a place that I would not necessarily have thought about.”
One of the sculptures you can borrow
Zoe, of Walker & Bromwich, was in The Gallery installing the Art Lending Library with her partner Neil before it was officially opened to the public last night.
She said: “A lot of our art work is about widening access to the arts and alternative ways of accessing art. We are interested in levelling the playing field for the way people view art in a non-elitist way.
Work by Turner Prize-nominated Marvin Gaye Chetwynd
“What has happened in the past is people have borrowed a work of art and then had parties for people to come round and look at it and discuss it – a bit like a book club. It is a very intimate way to explore art.”
Work by Turner Prize-nominated Ciara Phillips (centre)
Anyone wanting to join the Art Lending Library needs to bring two forms of ID to The Gallery, in the ground floor of the Vijay Patel Building Design Wing, and an Art Librarian will hand you a membership card which is stamped whenever you borrow some work.
Jorge wraps up a piece of art ready for delivery to someone's home
The aim is to have the first loaned artworks installed in homes before Christmas.
Zoe and Neil have also created a giant dragon which takes up half of The Gallery space. It will be used for a performance piece in Leicester city centre in March next year
Posted on Friday 15 December 2017