SWINDON Museum and Art Gallery has launched a virtual exhibition through ArtUK, the online home of the nation’s public collections.

The exhibition is called Big Hitters, and has been selected by the committee of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, who aim to draw attention to some of the most important pieces in the town's collection of modern British art.

Although the Bath Road venue is closed due to Covid-19, it is helping people access a collection credited with being one of the best in the UK. This includes the launch of Art on Tour at Home, which has developed a number of free online talks, activities and learning resources. ArtUK’s curation tool is also sharing the collection with audiences during lockdown.

Big Hitters includes around 30 artworks from the collection, spanning the 20th century and showcasing popular pieces by the likes of David Bomberg, Howard Hodgkin and L.S. Lowry.

Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery chair Linda Kasmaty said: “When we were asked if the Friends’ committee would like to mount a virtual exhibition, we thought what a fantastic way of getting the collection shown to a wider, online audience.

"Since the beginning of lockdown, many people have spent more time online, and many museums and galleries have greatly increased their online presence.

"We’re hoping this exhibition will complement the Art on Tour initiative which has been a tremendous success, connecting with many people – both those familiar with the Swindon collection, and those who did not know Swindon had such a collection.”

Cabinet member for the town centre Dale Heenan said: “Lockdown has really inspired us to come up with new and creative ways of showcasing our fantastic art collection here in Swindon and this latest exhibition is another fine example of that work.

“I would like to thank the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and ArtUK for their work in promoting these 30 wonderful artworks, and I’m sure it will be a big hit in keeping with its title!”

The exhibition will be available on ArtUK’s website at: https://artuk.org/discover/curations/big-hitters-significant-artists-in-the-swindon-collection/template/storyline

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is also included in the Great British Art Quiz, which is compiled by ArtUK and The Guardian.

Visit www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/04/great-british-art-quiz-swindon-museum-art-gallery