Gallery asks public to clock in after winning Museums at Night Luke Jerram artwork visit by a whisker

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

Devon gallery calls on public to provide 1,000 clocks for Museums at Night garden by leading artist Luke Jerram

Last May, East Devon’s Thelma Hulbert Gallery won a public vote to decide which of five galleries and historic sites would be visited by clock-watching artist Luke Jerram.

After more than 5,500 people pinned their colours to the mast, organisers in Honiton emerged triumphant by fewer than ten votes.

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Their reward is a “garden of time” from the Bristol-based installation specialist – earned, according to curator Angela Blackwell, with the help of an “incredibly loyal” community of supporters.

“We hope to collect 1,000 clocks for Luke,” says Blackwell, looking ahead to a memory and story-based contemporary clockwork taking place as part of Museums at Night’s first ever October edition.

“Winning has enabled this fantastic opportunity for us to work with Luke. We need the public to help again by donating their unwanted clocks.”

The clocks can be working, broken and in any kind of condition, with contributors invited to add their stories in the form of notes attached to their timepiece.

“Winding pathways will draw visitors through the shifting landscape,” says Jerram, who is working with the gallery for the first time to create his experiment. “Each area of the installation will sound different.

"The public will recognise some of the clocks from their home and from their past.

"The cacophony of clock sounds will heighten the visitor’s awareness of time passing.”

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The admiration between gallery, fans and artist is mutual – Jerram feels the project is “a privilege”, and Rosie Clarke, of festival co-ordinators Culture24, says witnessing the people of Devon vote for their gallery was “wonderful”.

“Luke’s one of the UK’s top contemporary artists, and the mysterious installation he’s planning to create should give visitors a truly magical experience,” she predicts. “We really hope the community will come forward and donate their clocks to become part of this unique happening.”

• Email info@thelmahulbert.com, telephone 01404 45006 or visit the gallery to take part or for more details.
  
  
• Installation runs October 27-31 2015.
  
  
• Museums at Night runs October 20-31 2015. Follow the festival on Twitter @MuseumsAtNight and use the hashtag #MatN2015.

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Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/art/art534136-gallery-public-clock-after-winning-museums-night-luke-jerram-artwork-visit-whisker