The University of Liverpool's Victoria Gallery and Museum (VG&M) announces two highlight exhibitions for the year.
VG&M presents photography exhibition, LEE MILLER - Friends at Farleys, a free display of 35 exclusive photographic prints taken by one of the most important and revered artists of the 20th century, Lee Miller.
On from Saturday 23 March - 30 November 2024 it shows a range of photographic prints taken in the 1950s that capture Miller and her husband, the Surrealist artist Roland Penrose, at their farmhouse in the East Sussex countryside.
Later this year sees the opening of Creatures of the Nile. On from Saturday 4 May - Saturday 5 October 2024, the exciting free exhibition explores the fascinating position animals held in ancient Egyptian and Sudanese society and culture.
Creatures of the Nile, features more than 250 objects, many of which have never been on public display. Highlights include one of the earliest known depictions of a domesticated dog, a sheet from the 3,500-year-old Book of the Dead and a bronze statue which entombed a mummified cat. Exhibited objects come from the collections of the Garstang Museum, with additional artefacts on loan from National Museums Liverpool and Manchester Museum.
Nicola Euston, Head of Museums and Galleries at the University of Liverpool, said: "We're delighted to be bringing these two exciting exhibitions to the gallery this year. We pride ourselves on presenting a vibrant mix of the historic and the new to our visitors, and these two exhibitions typify this spirit."
More about LEE MILLER - Friends at Farleys
Saturday 23 March - 30 November 2024
This free exhibition of 35 exclusive photographic prints taken in the 1950s, capture Miller and her husband at their farmhouse, named Farleys House, in the East Sussex countryside.
The property was bought by Miller and her husband, the Surrealist artist Roland Penrose, in 1949. Here, they raised their son Antony and entertained their wide circle of creative friends drawn from the worlds of art, literature, theatre and film. Among the most notable artists who stayed were Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning, Richard Hamilton and Reg Butler, all of whom were caught by Miller's camera.
In this exhibition, Miller's warm and witty photos capture the convivial atmosphere of Farleys House. At its heart is a selection of tongue-in-cheek portraits Miller took for an article called Working Guests, published in British Vogue's July 1953 edition. Here visitors are apparently set mundane household tasks including gardening, preparing food and looking after farm animals.
Lee Miller (1907 - 1977) is one of the most important and revered photographers of the 20th century. Her varied career began in the 1920s as a fashion model in her native New York, but by the end of the decade she preferred to work behind the camera. She was part of the Surrealist avant-garde in 1930s Paris, then an official correspondent for the U.S. Army during World War II. She was also a highly sought after fashion photographer whose work appeared in British and American Vogue.
The works have been loaned from the Lee Miller Archives based at Farleys House as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations.
LEE MILLER - Friends at Farleys has been curated by Dr Amanda Draper, Curator of Art & Exhibitions, University of Liverpool.
More about Creatures of the Nile
Saturday 4 May - Saturday 5 October 2024
Many species of animal called the Nile their home, long before humans settled there. As Nile-centred civilizations appeared, these creatures became central figures in societies' depictions of their world. From elaborate tomb scenes and sacred writings to amulets and pots, animals were a central motif in how people and communities communicated their values and beliefs.
This exhibition explores the fascinating position animals held in ancient Egyptian and Sudanese society and culture. Highlights include one of the earliest known depictions of a domesticated dog, a sheet from the 3,500-year-old Book of the Dead and a bronze statue which entombed a mummified cat.
Creatures of the Nile is curated by Dr Gina Criscenzo-Laycock, Curator, Garstang Museum of Archaeology, with Dr Juliet Spedding, Post-doctoral Researcher, Biodiversity in Egyptian Archaeology during Societal Transitions (BEAST) project.
Image caption/credits:
Picasso by the signpost, 1950 © Lee Miller Archives, England, 2024. All rights reserved
Ploughing and harvesting in the afterlife, section from the Book of the Dead of Bakhenkhons
