While the subject of many solo exhibitions throughout his life, this is the first survey exhibition of Roger Ackling's work in the UK. A milestone, which given the acclaim he received among the formative movers and shakers of the art world during the early 70s, amounts to a long-standing oversight corrected.
His work was much admired early on by his better known artist fellow travellers Richard Long, Hamish Fulton, and David Nash, who like Ackling, took the production of their sculpture out of the studio and into the great outdoors. So, in the abscence of any major retrospective by a world-class museum - Tate Britain's loss is Norwich Castle's gain. Sunlight is the first opportunity to experience what he achieved, in terms of his contribution to contemporary British art, since Ackling's death ten years ago.
Installation view: Weybourne 1997
Sunlight on wood with nails (right-hand element of a two part work)
9.5 x 10.5 x 6.5 cm each
The exhibition has been curated by Amanda Geitner and Dr Rosy Gray, both based at the Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. Amanda Geitner is the Director at the East Anglian Art Fund and has recently embarked upon a PhD centered on Ackling's life and work. Dr Rosy Gray is currently Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Castle Museum.
The research carried out by the curators in pursuit of this project means this is a definitive moment in appraising the artist's work. Gray and Geitner have had access to the artist's archive held at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds and the artist's estate through artist Silvia Ackling, his wife, and gallerist Ian Parker, Director at Annely Juda Fine Art.
The Castle Museum is an awkward succession of transient spaces, not sympathetic to displaying contemporary work. The troublesome architectural mishmash of Norman Keep and more recently added 'orientation' areas are being subjected to major surgery. The museum is being made more useable for its historic collections, with floors being added where none have existed for centuries and an ambitious new entry, which has not been quite completed, is due to ease the visitor experience. However, the gallery is free of disruption and is cleanly laid out. Temporary walls have been erected, and painted white. There is no natural light in the exhibition space, which is an ommission in an exhibition titled Sunlight. However, a lighting scheme has been designed to make the most of the sinuous layout and every effort has been made by the curators and the installation team to display the work with the appropriate elegant restraint. It is a rare moment for the museum, displaying important work by an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist with a strong local connection, and they have had a good go at it. Ackling's work is beautiful. the exhibition has been assembled well and put together with affection and attention to detail. Go and see it!
There is also a new book, Sunlight, published to accompany the exhibition, which will be touring to Henry Moore Institute Leeds and Pier Arts Centre Orkney in Scotland in 2025.
For more information on the exhibition and to book tickets click on the link below.
Sunlight runs from 18 May to 22 September 2024 Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.
Installation view
About the author
Paul Vater
PAUL VATER
Paul conducts studio visits to maintain strong relationships with artists, designers and craftspeople who show their work with us. He manages the main C&C website and has developed the online shop where selected works are presented for sale.
Paul established his design company, Sugarfree, in 1990 and quickly gained a reputation for delivering fresh, effective marketing campaigns and brand identities for clients including Save the Children Fund, United Nations Association and UNHCR. Over the years those added to the roster include IPC Magazines, Arts Council England, The Roundhouse, Barbican Centre, Arts Marketing Association, Look Ahead Housing and Care, Paddington Waterside, BBC Worldwide, Commonwealth Foundation, Prestel, City of London Corporation, Baker Street Quarter, Victoria BID and the University of East Anglia.