ARTIST ROOMS: Jenny Holzer
Installations & Artwork

ARTIST ROOMS is a new modern art collection that has been created through one of the largest and most imaginative gifts of art ever made to museums in Britain. As part of nationwide project to launch this to the public, a series of opening displays was launched on Tuesday 19 May 2009 and staged at Tate galleries and the National Galleries of Scotland and a wide range of partner museums and galleries across the UK.

The gift is a collection of 725 works, representing one of the most important holdings of post-war and contemporary international art in private hands, and has been given to the public by art collector Anthony d’Offay with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), The Art Fund and the Scottish and British Governments.

Anthony d’Offay’s guiding principle for the creation of ARTIST ROOMS is the concept of individual rooms devoted to particular artists. They have been assembled so that the work of important post-war artists can be seen and appreciated in depth. The primary aim is to create a new national resource of contemporary art that will strengthen displays and create exhibitions in museums and galleries throughout the UK so as to inspire new audiences, especially of young people.

The extensive collection of works assembled over a 28year period by Anthony d’Offay will be presented to the public via 50 rooms of contemporary art by 25 artists: Diane Arbus (3 rooms), Joseph Beuys (5), Vija Celmins (1), Ian Hamilton Finlay (1),  Gilbert & George (2), Johann Grimonprez (1), Damien Hirst (1), Jenny Holzer (1), Alex Katz (1), Anselm Kiefer (3), Jeff Koons (2), Jannis Kounellis (4), Sol LeWitt (1), Richard Long (2), Robert Mapplethorpe (3), Agnes Martin (1), Ron Mueck (1), Bruce Nauman (2), Gerhard Richter (3), Ed Ruscha (1), Robert Therrien (2), Bill Viola (1), Andy Warhol (6), Lawrence Weiner (1), and Francesca Woodman (1). In addition, there are ten works by a further seven artists: Georg Baselitz, Ellen Gallagher, Richard Hamilton, Mario Merz, Charles Ray, Robert Ryman and Cy Twombly.

The Lightbox gallery and museum has been selected as a partner for this wonderful collection and looks forward to being lit up by the conceptual artist Jenny Holzer whose illuminating installations are set to go on show from 19 November 2009. Blue Purple Tilt, a bluey-purple light installation that measures just under 4m high with panels each measuring 3810x137x1270, will guarantee an impressive visual presence in the double height main gallery of the Marks Barfield Architects’ designed building that holds the prestigious Art Fund Prize 2008. Woking’s cultural gem will also house two large paintings by the American artist entitled Protect, Protect, 2007, and Shape the Battlespace, 2007, in which Holzer presents declassified American military documents relating to the war in Iraq. Both pieces are oil on linen and are a large scale, each measuring 2007 x 2597.

The Lightbox Director Marilyn Scott said: “It is a tremendous coup for us, a regional, young gallery, and one of only two chosen in the South East, to be included in this highly influential touring collection. Holzer’s dynamic thought-provoking work aligns well with the creative, inspirational and educational programmes which The Lightbox, that opened just 20 months ago, aims to bring to its various target audiences throughout the year.”