The Sheffield culture scene is set for another boost when the newly-refurbed Brown Street reopens this month.
Site Gallery is refreshing its 40-year history following a £1.7 million expansion project that has seen the local arts institution triple in size amid a long-running redevelopment plan to revitalise the Gallery’s surrounding area and pour fresh inspiration into its exhibits. This huge step has been engineered under the auspices of a new artistic director Sharna Jackson and current executive director Judith Harry, combined with input and funding from Sheffield City Council and other local foundations.
The expansion accomplished by DRDH Architects underlines a vision to re-create an artistic hub in the city centre, while also aiming to attract all age-groups with an integrated cafe, family-orientated education and events spaces and bookshops. The project is infused with community consciousness and hopes to entice local voyeurs while seamlessly integrating into Sheffield’s artistic scene, which was recently invigorated further with the new S1 Artspace premises opening a short distance away.
Site Gallery’s opening exhibition begins on the 29 September and runs until 27 January. The inaugural presentation is entitled ‘Liquid Crystal Display’, the brain-child of former artistic director Laura Sillers and current curator Angelical Sule, and will muse over the geometric characteristics of crystalline structures while probing the relationship between modern technology and the natural world through crystals and their cultural significance. Enticing insights into John Ruskin’s quartz collections and an ambitious new commission by artist Anna Barham entitled ‘Crystals, Fabrics, Fields,’ will provoke further thought and response to these themes.
Executive director Judith Harry told Exposed: “We are hugely proud of the new Site Gallery. DRDH have created a welcoming gallery and museum quality exhibition space that will enable us to offer so much more to our artists. The opening programme and ‘Liquid Crystal Display’ exhibition will really be the start of new era as we head towards the gallery’s 40th anniversary in 2019.”
Site Gallery is reopening with a festival weekend beginning on Friday 28 September and will include three days of multicultural artistry and performance aimed to include all age groups. Head to sitegallery.org for updates on forthcoming exhibitions and events.
