LETTERSFrom Dr Michael Bishop, curator, Carisbrooke Castle Museum, Carisbrooke:
The question that is posed by Charlotte Hofton’s attack on the IW Council’s decision to withdraw some of the paintings at Northwood House (CP, 09-07-10) appears to be whether it is philistine or not to exercise a duty of care over valuable and unique works of art?
Museums that achieve minimum standards of care for their art works are accredited by the government — on the Island these include Dimbola Lodge, Carisbrooke Castle Museum, Osborne House, and the IW Council’s museum service.
Their facilities meet the required standards because (among other things) they are environmentally monitored and controlled (standards that the Tate St Ives must also achieve).
That is why the government felt able to give a Turner painting to Carisbrooke Castle Museum recently; that is why the Heritage Lottery Fund and the government secured the priceless Rowlandson watercolours for the IW Council’s museum service (and yes, these are exhibited regularly).
No one who enjoys the artistic legacy of this Island would disagree we need a suitable venue to show historic art works that are locked away in protected museum stores. The challenge is to provide a building that is fit for purpose. The IW Council is, in fact, the only organization I know of that has attempted in the last ten years to set up a permanent art gallery to a professional standard (the older buildings considered sadly had costly structural problems).
Forget converting crumbling buildings — it is less costly and more effective to erect a fit-for-purpose building from new. And don’t imagine that the 'environmentally controlled store’ will become extinct — normal practice in art galleries with extensive collections is to rotate art works between stores and display.