Sheep Graze Safely at Gallery Oldham

Gallery Oldham shows off its impressive collection of British art in a new exhibition entitled Sheep May Safely Graze: The British Pastoral Tradition. The exhibition, which opens on Saturday 5 May and runs until 11 August 2007, features work that reflects changing attitudes to the countryside over the last 200 years.

The word ‘pastoral’ relates to shepherds particularly and rural life in general, but it also carries religious overtones. The exhibition title, Sheep May Safely Graze, stems from a poem written by Salomo Franck for a cantata by J.S. Bach –

‘Sheep may safely graze

Where a good shepherd watches over them’

From the late 18th century British artists developed a tradition of painting pastoral scenes with many of their paintings representing idealising and moralising themes.  As industrialisation gathered pace in the nineteenth century, there was a growing demand for nostalgic images of the countryside, particularly from middle classes living in the towns and cities of the North and the Midlands.

Sheep May Safely Graze includes a selection of paintings and sculpture which explore some of the many strands of the pastoral tradition.  Many of the images included take their inspiration from classical sculpture, Latin poetry or Dutch 17th century painting. As part of the interpretation for the exhibition, classic texts and poems have been used including Thomas Hardy, Ted Hughes and R.L Stevenson.

Several of the British artists featured in the exhibition have tried to present a more realistic view of rural life based on direct observation.  Though often sentimental or dramatic, their work offers a sense of what it means to earn a living from the land.

A highlight of Sheep May Safely Graze is Edward Stott’s The Ferry, an outstanding example of British Impressionist painting. The painting is being exhibited for the first time in over twenty years following recent restoration with a Woodmansterne Art Conservation Award. Other artists featured in the exhinbition include Alfred Munnings, Alexandra Stanhope Forbes and H.H. La Thangue.

A short, 20-minute talk about Sheep May Safely Graze will be led by curator Stephen Whittle on Wednesday 11 July at 1pm. The event is free and there is no need to book in advance.

For more information about Gallery Oldham’s changing exhibition programme, events and activities pick up a brochure from the Gallery reception, call 0161 770 4653 or visit www.galleryoldham.org.uk. Gallery Oldham is located in Oldham’s Cultural Quarter, Greaves Street, Oldham, OL1 1AL.

The Gallery is open Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm (last admission 4.30pm), entrance is free.

ENDS

For more information and images contact:

Helen Russell on 0161 770 4743 or email helen.russell@oldham.gov.uk

Catherine Bradley on 0161 770 4741 or email catherine.bradley@oldham.gov.uk