It may not be the most beautiful building in London, but there is something about the Hayward Gallery, sitting in the heart of the concrete brutalist creation that is London’s South Bank Centre, that certainly grabs the attention.
Since the Queen opened it on July 9 1968 it has consistently served up an ever-changing menu of major exhibitions and contemporary commissions that have made it an integral part of the capital’s artistic milieu.
It's an important achievement that has had London's newly elected Mayor singing the gallery's praise. “For 40 years this South Bank institution has been an architectural landmark in our great city,” hummed Boris Johnson.
“It has made a huge contribution to the visual arts scene since the 60s. As Mayor of the cultural capital of the world, I’d like to wish The Hayward every success for the next 40 years.”
The last 40 have seen artists as varied as Picasso, Matisse, Bridget Riley and Antony Gormely shown within and without the Hayward's concrete walls. Earlier this year the gallery opened a bold 40th anniversary exhibition that brazenly investigated its own ‘brutalist’ architecture with the apt but scarily-named Psycho Buildings.
This week sees the 40th anniversary celebrations get into full swing with a week-long party of events from July 5 – 11. Special activities include discussions between some of the artists and architects who have been key in the building’s development, an interactive water sculpture and even a 40p entry day.
Events kick off on Saturday July 5 with a tour of Psycho Buildings led by renowned British architect and designer Amanda Levete, whilst on Monday July 7 Jeppe Hein’s popular water sculpture ‘Appearing Rooms’ returns to the Southbank Centre’s Festival Terrace for the third year running.
On Wednesday July 9 sculptor Antony Gormley will join Dennis Crompton, one of the Hayward’s original architects, academic Richard Burdett and writer and critic to discuss and debate approaches to designing gallery architecture.
A birthday party takes place later the same day with guests including three generations of artists and curators who have exhibited and worked at the gallery over the last five decades, whilst Friday July 11 is a celebration of the 40 years to the day when the gallery first opened its doors to the public. The ticket price of £10 will be dropped, enabling visitors to get in for 40p.
Also on Friday, Jeremy Deller, Mike Nelson and Robin Rhode will discuss their varied approaches to interaction with the public and all week there will be a continuous programme of outdoor and café bar films featuring newly commissioned work from contemporary Chinese artists and filmmakers.
“I want to celebrate and thank the artists who have given us so much, the staff who have worked in The Hayward over the last 40 years, and the millions of visitors who have cemented its position in the visual arts world of this great city” said Michael Lynch, Chief Executive of the South Bank Centre.
“It will be a fabulous commemoration of a very important part of Southbank Centre’s story.”
Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, London, SE18XX, England
T: 020 7960 5226
Open: Daily 10am – 6pm
Late nights Tuesday and Wednesday until 8pm
Quietest times to visit the gallery are Monday and early weekday mornings.
Closed: Closed 1 January, 24-26 December.
