Image courtesy of the Marie-Louise von Motesickzy Archive/Tate Archives
From autumn 2022, Amersham Museum will begin work on a new gallery, to celebrate the work of creative people. With the support of the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust, the museum will create a temporary exhibition space to showcase art made by people connected to the local area.
The gallery, which will open in spring 2024, will feature a changing exhibition programme. This will include art made by people in the past, by local contemporary practitioners and by groups working with the museum through its community learning programme. This will include works that have not been seen before or made by people whose work has been overlooked or underrepresented, as well as objects from the museum’s collection.
The gallery will be named after the Vienna-born artist, Marie-Louise von Motesiczky (1906-96), who came to Amersham with her mother after arriving in Britain in 1939 to escape persecution in Austria. She spent time with other émigrés living in Amersham, including the future Nobel prize-winning author Elias Canetti (1905-94), and the composer, pianist and teacher Francesco Ticciati (1893-1949). The museum holds five paintings by Marie-Louise in the collection and plans to exhibit more of her work in the new gallery.
Alongside the gallery, the museum is also creating new interpretation, which visitors will experience on arrival at the museum. The introductory space will include a timeline, featuring people, places and events that tell the story of the local area. The timeline will be co-curated with local people, including community partners, members of the museum’s children’s art club, young curators programme and reminiscence groups.
Consultation about the gallery will start in autumn 2022; the museum is keen to talk to local people about how the space could support their needs and showcase work made by local individuals or groups. To share your thoughts or to get involved in the project as a volunteer contact the museum on [email protected]