Compton Verney exhibitions in 2015

In mid-March the award winning art gallery of Compton Verney will re-open it gates to the public. Throughout the year, the stunning grounds of the 18th century country mansion will be the venue for some promising exhibitions.

This year, Compton Verney has the honour to be partner of the National Gallery’s masterpiece tour 2015. In the first half of the year the exhibition Canaletto: Celebrating Britain shows a collection of paintings and drawings, which the Venetian painter created during his long-term stay in Britain between 1746 and 1755. The exhibition will be accompanied by Canaletto’s masterpiece A Regatta on the Grand Canal, which is a loan from the National Gallery.

Levitate: Birmingham Music Week – 23 February – 1 March

Aiming to put Birmingham’s diverse musical offerings on the map (literally) Levitate has been conceived to showcase the city’s thriving sector. Live, academic and industry led events will take place across the city highlighted across three distinct areas; a music map, a summit and live events.

Will Shannon: The Closet Craftsman at mac – 14 Feb–19 April

Multi-talented artist Will Shannon’s exhibition ‘The Closet Craftsman’ launches the Craftspace Curates season at mac. Combining the role of designer, maker, manufacturer and architect Shannon creates alternative and mobile workspaces.

Resonating with the city’s heritage as a place for trade and making things the exhibition includes the newly commissioned ‘Market Factory’ piece. Shannon subverts the idea of a traditional market stall and re-imagines it as a space in which to fuse making and selling. Using only simple hand tools Shannon goes back to basics using traditional joinery techniques and hand skills to craft beautiful limited edition chairs for sale.

Origins Season, Library of Birmingham

There’s a whole host of new things to see and do in the Midlands this spring and what better place to start than with the Library of Birmingham’s new Origins Season. Spring 2015 sees the Library continue its successful cultural programme with a range of events and exhibitions centred on the theme of origins.

Running until April events will look at how the past, present and future of the Midlands are inextricably linked from dinosaur bones through to the growth of communities and language in the present day. Each exhibition will be varied and includes Stones and Bones, Survivors of the Ice Age with Professor Alice Roberts through to A Cartoon History of Here.

AK Dolven – Please Return, 4 February – 19 April – Ikon Gallery

Please Return is the latest exhibition by Norwegian artist AK Dolven at Ikon. Through a combination of painting, photography, film and sound Dolven’s work represents the natural forces that surround us. Her choice of subject matter is similar to the renowned nineteenth century painter and fellow Norwegian Peder Balke (1804 – 87) whom Dolven identifies with whose work she has chosen to include in the exhibition alongside her own.