The V&A Renaissance Galleries/Peter Ackroyd

[gt3]

I was at the V&A tonight. Gosh, but that new gallery is a star. It knocks the Musee d'Cluny in Paris into a very cocked hat. And anyone who knows me well will know what that means for me and my love of medieval and Renaissance art. The review in The Observer last week was right - anywhere else and these rooms would be a museum in their own right.

There's too much to take in on one visit. It'll take a number of trips to get to know which are one's favourite pieces and indeed where within the vastness of the very clever space they are. Someone has been very very clever in the use of space and light and curating. Big props.

Why is Peter Ackroyd in the thread title? Well, two reasons. As part of the V&A's celebrations to launch these new rooms they are running a series of Friday night lectures, the next is in February, and so he was giving a lecture at the V&A tonight on Venice and it's links to medieval and Renaissance art...But really, just about Venice. So, I was like a pig in mud. Medieval and Renaissance art, Venice, Peter Ackroyd...I have to say that he's a thoroughly charming bloke and was lovely when it came to signing my copy of his book.

In the meantime, I cannot recommend those new rooms enough but the only time to visit is soon. On a late Friday opening, whilst they are pristine and before they become acknowledged as a major tourist target which they invariably will. Magnificent.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The V&A Renaissance Galleries/Peter Ackroyd

You think the V&A's new galleries are good? Check out the Ashmolean which has spent double on its revamp. The new enlarged Whitechapel is very good as well. I wonder whether these works will come to represent the end of an era for arts funding. It's a very obvious thing to cut, and I expect someone will argue that the recession was caused by Sir Nicholas Serota or perhaps Sir Joshua Reynolds. I'll believe the new Tate building when I see it, hopefully sans "performance spaces". Such spaces should be filled with paintings, like in the Uffizi Tribuna.

Still, hopefully the poor will keep buying lottery tickets.

Did you see the Kapoor? It was good if a little busy.

btw I'm a V&A member, so never pay for anything there.

[Lucia Lanigan]

The V&A Renaissance Galleries/Peter Ackroyd

I don't think anyone will pick on the arts this time round. Perhaps because the art world appears so keen on private money in the first place (which may be unfair - it's probably just perennially keen on getting any funding whatsoever); perhaps because Nu Labour's co-option of the "creative industries" is too groovy a boon to the opposition as well; perhaps just because the art that's benefitted most from gallery expansions hasn't been too distasteful to Middle Enlgish palate.

[gt3]

The V&A Renaissance Galleries/Peter Ackroyd

I'd heard that the Ashmolean was worth a visit. Will definitely check it out now.

Yes, I dod see the Kapoor Tubby. Luckily, I'm a friend of the RA so I got to see it on a preview day. Going back a few weeks later when it wasopen to civilians so to speak, it was awful. Far too many people to really "get" it.

I may just take you up on that invite.

LL - I think I agree, most galleries are so in bed with major corporations that it's the funding from those they need to worry about, rather than government funding.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The V&A Renaissance Galleries/Peter Ackroyd

The nomination by Boris Johnson of Veronica Wadley as London's arts honcho doesn't sound very promising.

The Royal Academy doesn't get any government funding at all. It shows as well. They can't afford to keep the Madjeski Fine Rooms open all the time, which is very frustrating. They have some good stuff in their at the moment, including a Constable six footer.

Give the Ashmolean time to open their Roman galleries before you visit. There's still plenty to see though.