Julian Spalding
Encyclopedia
Julian Spalding is a British
art critic
, writer
, broadcaster
and former curator
. Considered to be a controverial maverick and outspoken critic of the artworld, he's been a regulator contributor to arts, news and current affairs programmes on radio and TV.
Spalding grew up on a council estate in St Mary Cray, South London. His upbringing there played an important part in shaping his subsequent outlook, particularly with regard to understanding how social inequality and cultural deprivation has a negative impact on people’s lives.
He studied art history at Nottingham University and art at Nottingham Art College, and after a brief spell as an artist and designer he chose to work in museums and galleries. Spalding started as an art assistant at museums in Leicester and Durham before becoming director of galleries for Sheffield, and then Manchester. In 1989 he was appointed director of Glasgow Museums, responsible for the largest collection managed by a local authority and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
, the most visited museum outside London.
During his career as a curator he established several award-winning, innovative galleries and museum services, including: the Ruskin Gallery
in Sheffield; the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
and The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Glasgow; and the Open Museum
. In 2000, he also instigated the now international Campaign for Drawing
.
In 1999 he was awarded the Lord Provost's Prize for Services to the Visual Arts in Glasgow for his directorship of Glasgow Art Galleries and Museums, although his curatorial career was cut short the same year when his post along with others was abolished by Glasgow City Council. Spalding subsequently spoke Internationally and advised museums and galleries about new and innovative approaches, which was later outlined as what he describes as a practical philosophy in his 2002 book The Poetic Museum.
Since 2001 he has concentrated chiefly on his writing, winning the Banister Fletcher Prize in 2006 for his book The Art of Wonder.
Articles by Spalding
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
art critic
Art critic
An art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and former curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
. Considered to be a controverial maverick and outspoken critic of the artworld, he's been a regulator contributor to arts, news and current affairs programmes on radio and TV.
Spalding grew up on a council estate in St Mary Cray, South London. His upbringing there played an important part in shaping his subsequent outlook, particularly with regard to understanding how social inequality and cultural deprivation has a negative impact on people’s lives.
He studied art history at Nottingham University and art at Nottingham Art College, and after a brief spell as an artist and designer he chose to work in museums and galleries. Spalding started as an art assistant at museums in Leicester and Durham before becoming director of galleries for Sheffield, and then Manchester. In 1989 he was appointed director of Glasgow Museums, responsible for the largest collection managed by a local authority and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. The building houses one of Europe's great civic art collections...
, the most visited museum outside London.
During his career as a curator he established several award-winning, innovative galleries and museum services, including: the Ruskin Gallery
Ruskin Gallery
The Ruskin Gallery is a gallery within the Millennium Galleries in Sheffield, England.It houses a collection of minerals, paintings, ornithological prints, drawings, manuscripts and architectural plaster casts assembled by John Ruskin....
in Sheffield; the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art is a museum of religion in Glasgow, Scotland. It is quoted as being the only public museum in the world devoted solely to this subject, though another notable museum of this kind is the State Historical Museum of Religion in St.Petersburg...
and The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Glasgow; and the Open Museum
Open Museum
Open Museum is a participatory exhibit space for fine artists, art museums, and art enthusiasts. Also a not-for-profit digital outreach tool for artists and museums, its purpose is to...
. In 2000, he also instigated the now international Campaign for Drawing
Campaign for Drawing
The Campaign for Drawing has the aim to get everyone in the UK drawing.An annual program of more than 1000 events and organizations that shows drawing is the perfect medium for observation, self-expression and fun. Wide-ranging events and themes for all ages span art and science....
.
In 1999 he was awarded the Lord Provost's Prize for Services to the Visual Arts in Glasgow for his directorship of Glasgow Art Galleries and Museums, although his curatorial career was cut short the same year when his post along with others was abolished by Glasgow City Council. Spalding subsequently spoke Internationally and advised museums and galleries about new and innovative approaches, which was later outlined as what he describes as a practical philosophy in his 2002 book The Poetic Museum.
Since 2001 he has concentrated chiefly on his writing, winning the Banister Fletcher Prize in 2006 for his book The Art of Wonder.
External links
- Julian Spalding Website
- Campaign For Drawing
- Open Museum
- Intelligence² Art in an Ephemeral Age Debate
Articles by Spalding
- "Obituray: Nerys Johnson", The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Wednesday 4, July 2001 - "More central control is the last thing our museums need", The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, Wednesday, 24 October 2001 - "The death of the National Gallery" New StatesmanNew StatesmanNew Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
, 8 April 2002 - "A broad brush. Beauty and skill are no longer relevant to the aesthetic debate" New StatesmanNew StatesmanNew Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
, 29 September 2003 - "Taking a Fresh look at art" , The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Thursday, 9 November 2006