Family Fun Day at the Laing Art Gallery

Families are invited to join in with the fun at the forthcoming John Martin Day taking place at the Laing Art Gallery on Saturday 14 May. 

The John Martin: Heaven & Hell exhibition celebrates Martin’s life and work, and visitors to the art gallery will be treated to a whole day of free talks, walks, music and workshops taking place throughout the gallery. 

 Julie Milne, curator at the Laing Art Gallery says:“Museums and galleries are the perfect place to inspire young minds and what better way than to bring the whole family here to join in with the fun events taking place.

As well as enjoying the events, visitors will also have the chance to enjoy our exhibition.” The exhibition has attracted over 40,000 visitors since is opened at the beginning of March.  

Commenting on the popularity of the exhibition Julie Milne, stated:  “This exhibition has been hugely popular with our visitors and we are expecting many more visitors to the gallery before it closes on Saturday 5 June.  “As well as drawing on the Laing’s own collections, the exhibition includes loans from Overseas and Tate and has allowed us to show an amazing selection of John Martin’s paintings.” John Martin: Heaven & Hell is the first major exhibition of Martin’s work in over 40 years.  

Renowned for his spectacular paintings of apocalyptic destruction and biblical catastrophe, Martin’s work has proven influential in contemporary popular culture including science fiction illustration, Hollywood blockbusters and heavy metal music.     

Part of the Great British Art Debate, which is a series of events and exhibitions, the partnership brings art from national collections, including the Tate, to the regions.  The project aims to encourage the public to join in a debate about what British art has to say about identity and Britishness.  The Great British Art Debate is a partnership project between Tate Britain, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service and Museums Sheffield, supported the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and by the MLA’s Renaissance programme. The exhibition is supported in Newcastle by the Friends of the Laing Art Gallery, Fenwick Limited, the Sir James Knott Trust and the John Martin Circle.

The Laing Art Gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm.  Admission is free.  For more details visitwww.twmuseums.org.uk/laing <http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/laing> or find the Laing on Facebook and Flickr.