The Permanent Collection at Barbican Art Gallery on artrepublic.com
Exhibition running from Apr 01 2008
Three decades in the making, the Barbican Centre was designed in the sixties, constructed in the seventies and opened at a cost of £161 million in the eighties. The area where the Barbican is now located was bombed in 1940 and only St Giles church, Cripplegate where John Milton is buried, still stands. In 1959 the Corporation of London began to plan a predominately residential area, which included designs for an arts centre and the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama. By the mid 1960's further buildings had been added, including a public library, theatre and art gallery. 1971 saw the construction work begin and the final area included conference facilities and trade halls. When the Queen opened the Barbican centre in March 1982 she was moved to declare it to be 'one of the wonders of the modern world'. The centre is crammed with venues; as well as its two art galleries (where temporary exhibitions like the recent Star Wars exhibition are held), a concert hall, two theatres, three cinemas, a sculpture court, conservatory, public library, private function rooms, conference suites and two exhibition halls as well as the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The Barbican hosts a variety of performing and visual arts: concerts, theatre, opera, dance, jazz, world music, arts, painting, photography, sculpture and cinema. The world famous London Symphony Orchestra and The Royal Shakespeare Company also call this amazing centre home.  |
