Dreamlandscapes, an exhibition at Dreamland in Margate
“I am delighted to see the Dreamland collection exhibited in one major display for the first time and it is poignant that the collection will be shown at Dreamland. I visited the amusement park in 1963 while teaching at Canterbury School of Art. The sights, sounds and ambiance of the park are the inspiration for the collection. I hope that visitors to the exhibition will enjoy the Dreamlandscape collection and through its imagery, relive the experience of visiting Dreamland in the 1960’s”
We worked closely with the artist, cataloguing the collection in every detail. A summarised record was presented in an exhibition catalogue we designed for the show.
In collaboration with the Dreamland Trust and Dreamland we were tasked with designing a gallery space on a challenging budget and time frame; and curated the first public art show within this space.
‘Dreamlandscapes – a portrait of Dreamland in the 1960’s’ presented a unique collection of artwork by Barry Kirk produced between 1963 and 1966. Paintings, drawings and woodcuts are colourful and energetic, capturing the mood and visual experience of visitors to the park. The artist’s use of synthetic paints and PVA preserved the works in brilliant colour. Many paintings were built in relief using Polyfiller mixed with paint presenting highly textured surfaces to illuminate.
The gallery is set within a self contained former retail space featuring glass shutters opening onto the concourse leading into the amusement park. Existing wall space was minimal so we designed a ‘room within a room’ comprising a bespoke modular system of pre-fabricated interlocking wall panels. At 3.1m tall, a seemingly full height wall is created capable of displaying large artworks comfortably.
Outer faces were lined with OSB painted black to draw out the texture and to provide a more dramatic background for displaying art. Framing projectors allowed the artworks to literally float in all their vibrancy. The space was unified by installing a black floor covering on which purpose made display units for artefacts would sit.
The exhibition space is managed by the Dreamland Trust and will continue to host a variety of public exhibitions and events.