Stephen Lawrence Gallery

For class yesterday, July 11th we traveled by boat on the river to Greenwich. While in Greenwich we vistited two different places for class and explored the city. The first stop on our visit was the Stephen Lawrence Gallery located in the University of Greenwich. The story behind the gallery is one that is very sad.

Stephen Lawrence was a young boy who was murdered in 1993. His mother was a student at the university at the time of the murder; afterwards she worked at the university. In 2000 the gallery was established on the campus in Stephen's name to help speak to a wide audience. His mother felt that an art gallery was a perfect way to remember Stephen; it expresses creativity, culture, and art, something Stephen would have spread if his life had not been cut short.

The gallery displays all types of art work and also puts on art shows. This week, during our visit, the art displayed was quite different than has been displayed in the previous weeks. We saw paintings and scultures that reflect the local history of Greenwich. The current exhibit contains works from artists who worked in small galleries from 1974 until 1994. After 1994, there was an unusual art movement.

During our tour we were shown different pieces of art and it was explained how the different exhibitions are set up and displayed. Working with our curators helps to bring in new ideas. By bringing in multiple opinions, ideas, and creative ways, the best exhibit can be displayed.

Visiting the gallery was much different than any other visit we have done. I found it very interesting how much the work of a curator in a gallery really does overlap with the job of a archivist or librarian. A curator is responsible for knowing the history of the work, the history of the exhibit and organization, school, or company they are working for. They must come up with ways to represent that history through artwork. I really enjoyed the exhibit and I even found a piece that I wish I could display in my home!