29 June 2020
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Artwork is rehung as the Crawford Art Gallery prepares for reopening on today after closure due to Covid-19.
Pic Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision
Pic Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision
Crawford Art Gallery reopens its doors to visitors at 10am today. The Board and staff are extremely excited to welcome visitors back to enjoy newly installed Exhibitions and to enjoy international exhibitions installed in March which have yet to be seen by the public.
Director Mary McCarthy says “We are incredibly happy to open the doors again… after a 15-week mandatory closure and look forward to welcoming back familiar faces and new audiences. During Lockdown we developed incredible social media loyalty and content and we will continue to engage digitally, but we believe there is no substitute for standing in front of a work of art and appreciating it in the context of other art works and other people. This building needs people. We have been rehanging exhibitions so visitors will have new encounters. We also have new signage, both external and internal, in place to support our visitors throughout their visit. Like our other cultural colleagues in Cork we are proud to support the positioning of Cork as a safe and welcoming city with so much to offer”.
The health and safety of visitors and staff is a top priority for the team of Crawford Art Gallery and new measures will be implemented to ensure the public enjoy their visit in a safe, welcoming and relaxed environment.
The Gallery will introduce a new visitor route from Monday and some additional safety measures to ensure that visitors continue to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this city centre attraction. The Crawford website has a full list of what to expect before a member of the public visits.
Rose McHugh, Chair of the Gallery, is delighted to be welcoming visitors back to the Gallery to visit the national collection in a safe environment. “Our visitors can expect to see some changes in place when they come to the Gallery. We take the health of our visitors and our staff very seriously. To ensure that everyone enjoys the Gallery, with comfort and safety in mind, we have implemented a range of protocols that are in compliance with HSE and Government Guidelines. We look forward to welcoming our visitors back to the Crawford and encourage them to take time out and to relax and enjoy this oasis of beauty and calm in the heart of Cork City.”
Crawford presents a mix of international programming with In Transit and Artists’ Film International as well as highlights of the national collection. Two new exhibitions based around the collection lucid abnormalities and Statio Bene showcase some of the highlights of the collection as well as some works rarely seen by the public.
Statio Bene: Art and Ireland’s Maritime Haven. Fittingly presented in the Long Room of the city’s old Custom House (Crawford Art Gallery), Statio Bene is inspired by Cork’s motto – Statio Bene Fide Carinis (a safe harbour for ships) – and coincides with the 300th anniversary of the world’s oldest established yacht club: Royal Cork Yacht Club.
Seperately, the Crawford Garden Café will open on 10 July to facilitate alfresco dining and The Gallery Café will open on 17 July.