It’s not unusual for a museum to turn back the clock to celebrate the way things were.
But Newcastle Museum is focussing on the past to draw attention to the present, with an exhibition designed to highlight how the cityscape has changed during the last decade.
The exhibition was curated to celebrate the Museum’s 10th year of operation in the former Railway Workshops at Honeysuckle.
Aptly titled, Oh yeah, I forgot about that: A decade of change seen through the eyes of Mr Trevor Dickinson, Artist, it features more than 20 works by the much-loved Newcastle artist, including two new pieces commissioned for this show.
Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said Dickinson’s art had played an influential role in establishing the museum’s visual character at the Honeysuckle site, making him a natural fit for this anniversary show.
“Trevor’s colourful, larger-than-life murals have formed an intrinsic part of the Museum and its surrounds since we opened the doors here in August 2011,” Ms Baird said.
“This included commissioning him to create our quirky photowalls in Museum Park, which not only liven up the landscape but also create a way for locals to become part of the Museum’s story by snapping a selfie and sharing it with our Facebook page.”
Ms Baird said the inspiration for the exhibition came from the massive transformation that has taken place around the Museum since it opened its doors at Honeysuckle.
“In the grand scheme of this country’s ancient history 10 years is like the blink of an eye, but to Newcastle Museum it is our entire history at Honeysuckle and for Newcastle, it has been a period of rapid transformation,” Ms Baird said.
“We quickly forget what has changed in our city as new landscapes become normal. For our 10th anniversary, Newcastle Museum wanted to remind people of the alterations to our normal and often unnoticed cityscape.
“Through the artwork chosen for this exhibition, Trevor presents his own view of Newcastle, curating the identity of the natural landscape in the same way we curate its history, highlighting the specialness within the ordinary to present a personal visual portrait of the city during a time of great change.
“From depictions of a dilapidated Merewether Surf House to the former Newcastle Signal Box and Queens Wharf tower, the works all portray aspects of the city landscape that have changed in the decade since Newcastle Museum threw open its doors to welcome millions of visitors to explore and enjoy our exhibitions of history, science, culture and our city’s identity.
“To celebrate Newcastle Museum’s own journey, we also commissioned Trevor to create two new artworks, capturing something constant and something that has changed within the Museum. These are being seen for the first time in this exhibition.”
Oh yeah, I forgot about that: A decade of change seen through the eyes of Mr Trevor Dickinson, Artist is open to the public from 18 November 2021 until 27 February 2022.
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