The Base, Greenham has revealed its plans to present a variety of fascinating exhibitions over the coming year - Wildlife Photographer of the Year 56, Game Plan: Board Games Rediscovered, Open Studios: INSIGHT, and Hockney and Hollywood.
Reopening to visitors on Monday 17 May, the visual arts space just outside Newbury will welcome the Natural History Museum’s prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 56 as its first exhibition of 2021, running in the gallery everyday until Sunday 13 June. Capturing fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species, and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world, the exhibition uses photography’s unique emotive power to engage and inspire audiences, encouraging a future for advocating for the planet.
Over the summer months the gallery will present Game Plan: Board Games Rediscovered (Friday 25 June – Sunday 5 September) from the V&A’s Museum of Childhood. Perfect for all the family, this exhibition explores the universal appeal of board games and how they are embedded in our culture - not just the games themselves but the act of playing, the lessons to be learned and the fun to be had. As well as enjoying the exhibition, youngsters and their families can pick up a free activity sheet and take part in a hunt around the venue looking for the answers in the game, ‘Clue Search’.
This year will also see the welcome return of Open Studios: INSIGHT (18 September – 10 October) giving visitors a taster of the artists to feature in Open Studios 2021, which takes place across West Berkshire and North Hampshire. There will be the opportunity to meet a wide range of artists, designers and craftspeople and to find out more about the various mediums in which they create their work.
Fans of British artist David Hockney will be delighted to see that Hockey and Hollywood, originally due to appear at The Base earlier in the spring, has been rescheduled and will now take place from Friday 22 October – Sunday 28 November. On loan from The Bowes Museum, the exhibition features an extraordinary life-sized nude photographic study of Theresa Russell by David Hockney. The Yorkshire born artist was commissioned by his friend the Hollywood film director Nicolas Roeg to create the montage for the movie Insignificance, which starred his then wife, Theresa Russell, as Marilyn Monroe. Photographing Hockney as he prepared the scene, this exhibition is a unique and intimate never before seen ‘behind the scenes’ look at Hockney, as one artist observes another.
For those looking forward to a trip to The Base this year, visitors may want to consider purchasing a Base Pass from £20, which allows unlimited access to any of the exhibitions in the gallery for 12 months, allowing customers to come back time and again to enjoy the wonderful works on display. Included in this annual ticket is 10% off at Honesty at The Base and at any other Honesty owned outlets (terms and conditions apply, see website for full details).
Tickets for exhibitions must be booked in advance in timeslots to ensure visitors can enjoy plenty of space between themselves and others. For more information and to book tickets visit www.thebasegreenham.co.uk or call the Corn Exchange Box Office on 0845 5218 218 (calls cost 2p per minute plus you telephone company’s access charge).