Art / News
‘The Hay Wain’ comes to Bristol for first time
One of the most famous paintings in the world has gone on display in Bristol for the first time.
The Hay Wain, John Constable’s famed piece of landscape art, is being exhibited at Bristol Museum in order to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery.
To celebrate the bicentenary, the National Gallery has launched the National Treasures programme that has sent 12 of the country’s most celebrated paintings to 12 different galleries across the UK.
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The Hay Wain takes central position in the new exhibition Truth to Nature, which explores the history of landscape, as well as the connection art has to place and environment.
Julia Carver, curator at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, said: “It has been an honour to work on the Truth to Nature exhibition, using The Hay Wain as a starting point to bring together pieces that deal with our human response to nature and the land.
“We are all really excited to be part of the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary celebrations and are looking forward to showcasing this famous painting alongside carefully chosen pieces that will make you look at landscapes – and hopefully The Hay Wain – in a whole new light.”
Speaking to Bristol 24/7, Carver said: “I want to defamiliarise The Hay Wain, I want people to look at it with fresh eyes and understand that it is quite a revolutionary painting. But also, to think about the times that it was painted in and the times now.”
The new exhibition, which is on until September 1, features oil paintings by Constable, on loan from the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Much of the artwork on display also comes from Bristol Museum’s own archives, showcasing both contemporary and classic work.
Carver added: “Recently some of the collecting we have been doing has been very much focused on landscape and thinking about climate change as well.
“This was an excuse really to look at what landscape actually means today, and how artists today are using landscape art to approach and explore what is going on with the climate emergency.”
Truth to Nature features a wide variety of landscape art and sculptures from the museum’s archives including ‘Slate Circle’ by Richard Long – photo: Ruby Smith
Truth to Nature will also be accompanied by two free exhibitions: a video exhibition on the nocturnal life of bats, and a second that explores divisions of land and the complex relationship borders have with nature.
Bristol Museum’s Young Collective are also developing work inspired by the exhibition.
The advisory board, composed of young people from ages 18 to 25 that come from underrepresented backgrounds, is working on two projects targeted towards young people in the community.
The Young Collective (from left to right: Thomas, Bruno and Adessa) work on projects to involve young people in art and museums – photo: Ruby Smith
Adessa from the Young Collective explained the intention of one of the projects, a zine: “Because The Hay Wain is not the most famous painting to people of our age, or the most relatable painting, we really wanted to make sure whatever work we did was something that could be very accessible and very engaging for young people like us, from different backgrounds.”
Bruno said: “Each person brings a very different perspective to the project and what they want to get out of it is all very different.
“I think it has produced two pieces of work that really encapsulate what Bristol is about – people from all different places and backgrounds.”
Thomas added: “We are going to be working with Knowle West Media Centre. Where we will be hoping to get younger people in a workshop.
“We will create postcards with them that incorporate nature from their local environment and try to incorporate some local history into it as well.”
The Truth to Nature exhibition is open at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery until September 1. For more information, visit www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery/whats-on/national-treasures-constable-in-bristol-truth-to-nature
Main photo: Ruby Smith
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