Gallery manager role marks return to artistic roots
26 September 2014
Bonington Gallery has selected alumnus, Tom Godfrey (BA Hons Fine Art 2004), to drive forward its future programme and cement its position at the heart of Nottingham's thriving arts scene.
Tom's appointment as Gallery Resource Manager comes as the Gallery launches its new programme for 2014-15, featuring exhibitions which honour 170 years of art and design heritage at the University site. They celebrate Nottinghamshire's knitting industry with Knitting Nottingham and explore cutting edge research and craft practice associated with textiles and the body with Crafting Anatomies. Renowned UK artist Simon Callery will also be exhibiting and creating his unique, large scale paintings on site.
Internationally renowned "doodle" artist and NTU alumnus Jon Burgerman (BA Hons Fine Art 2001) has been commissioned to design a mural and lettering to signpost the gallery within the Bonington building.
After graduation in 2004 Tom co-found Moot gallery in the city with fellow graduates Tristan Hessing, Candice Jacobs and Matt Jamieson. Their motivation was the lack of provision for national and international artistic exchange and the desire to create a central meeting point for Nottingham’s independent art community.
The founding of Moot sparked a chain reaction, with other spaces such as Tether and Backlit opening, many led by NTU alumni. Now, Tom has returned to the University to help inspire future generations of artists while also ensuring Bonington Gallery continues to play a vital role in the city's arts offering.
"Bonington Gallery sits in a place where knowledge is being formed and not where finished, polished objects exist, like a museum," said Tom. "The gallery is a big part of that process of learning - it is an example to students who will be putting on exhibitions of their own in the future."
Tom is now busy visiting other art schools in the country to share knowledge, forge connections and partnerships as well as meeting with Nottingham art groups to learn their views about the gallery and how it serves the community.