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Leaving Certificate Art Appreciation
At the National Craft Gallery
Deirdre Nelson and her piece Surplus
Preparing for a great visit!
Check out our website www.nationalcraftgallery.ie and our Facebook page for information about exhibition and upcoming events. You should have an objective before you come to the gallery whether it’s preparing for the gallery question or just gathering information. Please remember that work should not be touched unless otherwise stated as it needs to be preserved; often artwork is made from very fragile materials. Even the technicians who install the work wear gloves so not to damage or get any dirt on the artwork!
Let’s examine the gallery for YOUR visual experience!
Why do we need galleries when we have the internet?
We cannot always fully appreciate artwork until we see it or experience it. It is difficult to understand the size of an art object and textures and details unless we physically see artwork. The gallery is a constructed environment that aims to create
a specific feeling or atmosphere. Let’s see how this is achieved in this gallery.
Before you enter the space! Architecture – The National Craft Gallery is based in a renovated old building. The building was used to store the horse coaches for the
castle. Do you think it is a welcoming space? Is it the type of space you would expect to see a gallery? The interior of the gallery is important to examine very closely for your exam
question. Take a look and note of the height of the ceilings the colour of the walls. What type of floor is it? Are there any other architectural features? Windows, pillars, additional walls, doorways etc. that should be noted? Do you feel comfortable? What is the atmosphere like? Is the accessibility good, for example is the space wheelchair friendly?
Display
The curator for each exhibition decides on all the details of how work is
displayed. What do you think about the way the artwork is displayed? Would you change anything?
How is the work displayed in this gallery? Look at the plinths, how work is hung on the walls and if the work is at eyelevel. Do you think it is accessible, would anyone be able to walk into this gallery and appreciate some aspect of the work?
Lighting and Power Lighting is very important in a gallery. It can help create different atmospheres, bring attention to certain details of the work. What kind of lighting is used here? Natural? Artificial? Spot lights? Why do you think this type of lighting has been used? Are there many electrical sockets what might these be used for in the gallery space? Draw a plan view of the gallery below
Examine your favourite work Who made it? What is it made from and how might they have made it? Why do you like it? Describe the features of the piece-‐ colour, texture, subject matter,