Artworks from the Swindon Collection go on display at STEAM this weekend

‘Through the Window’ went on display back in May as a joint exhibition from STEAM and Swindon Museum and Art Gallery’s Art on Tour project.

But with the Heritage Open Days taking place this weekend, the exhibition will continue with additional paintings from celebrated Wiltshire-born artist, Janet Boulton.

Seven artworks from the Swindon Collection demonstrate the artist’s interest in glass, windows and reflections. Four watercolours, shown for the first time since being acquired by Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, show views from the Swindon School of Art at North Star Avenue in 1974.

The artworks were kindly given to Swindon Museum and Art Gallery by the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, and framed with funding provided by them.

Janet Boulton’s work is driven by an interest in relationships between the man-made and the natural, windows and reflections, the language of symbols and garden design. Janet has exhibited her work widely, including two solo exhibitions at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, which were followed by the acquisition of paintings for the Swindon Collection. 

Councillor Robert Jandy, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience, said: “We are thrilled to deliver this exhibition alongside our work with Heritage Open Days. The works on show by Janet Boulton expand on themes in Through the Window, from the perspective of an artist living and working in Wiltshire.

“Some of the paintings, which are being shown for the first time since entering the collection in 2019, show the demolition of the railway works in the 1970s. They provide important links to Swindon’s heritage, as well as being striking works of art in their own right. I would like to say a big thank you to the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery for kindly donating the artwork and I’m really pleased we are able to share them with the public as part of this fantastic exhibition at STEAM.”

The extended exhibition will be available to view in STEAM’s Hawksworth Hall on Saturday 11 and Sunday, 12 September and Saturday, 18 and Sunday 19 September. The exhibition will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturdays and between 11am and 4pm on Sundays (last admission half an hour before closing time).

The display is free to view and no booking is required.

The Art on Tour team from Swindon Museum and Art Gallery have organised the new display. Launched in January 2020, Art on Tour aims to share Swindon’s art collection with more people and places throughout the town.

To limit overall visitor numbers, all visitors and Season Ticket holders wishing to visit STEAM’s main exhibitions and displays need to book their tickets online in advance through the STEAM website: www.steam-museum.org.uk

Find out more about Art on Tour by following the project on Twitter @AoTSwindon, Facebook @ArtonTour2020 or Instagram @swindongalleryartontour.

You can follow STEAM on Facebook and Instagram (@SteamMuseum), or Twitter (@Steam_Museum).