Latest acquisition celebrates Reading Foundation for Art 50th anniversary

Reading Museum has been celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Reading Foundation for Arts with the major exhibition Art Stories, featuring key works acquired by the foundation during its 50 year history and which have been presented to the museum. ‘Art Stories’ continues until February 22.

Well-known local sculptor Johannes von Stumm, who works from his studio in the West Berks village of Fawley, is currently vice chair of the Reading Foundation for Art, whose latest major acquisition celebrates their 50th anniversary, writes Arts Editor TRISH LEE.

The foundation, which has two main aims, to create a collection of significant works of art that are cared for by Reading Museum Service and to help the museum acquire works for its collection was established as a registered charity in 1974.

The charity has a small portfolio and is able to buy art work which is available to the Reading Museum. The foundation’s subcommittee meets regularly to discuss acquisitions. “As Trustees we are interested in specific and general donations, legacies or great art work, if possible connected to Reading.”

“We have gathered a wonderful collection of excellent and outstanding art for the museum: works by Paul Nash, William Pye, Mary Fedden, Picasso, Terry Frost, Elisabeth Frink, John Piper, Maggi Hambling to name a few.,” says Johannes.

Last Wednesday, (January 29) they celebrated their 50th anniversary at Reading Museum, Blagrave Street and to mark that anniversary the museum's art curator Elaine Blake had suggested the foundation buy contemporary textile/fibre artist Alice Kettle’s Sunflowers. The sale was supported by the Arts Fund and the V&A.

Alice trained as a painter, and has work represented in many international collections. Some may recall her textile work was exhibited in a Crafts Council touring exhibition Out of the Frame at Newbury’s Arts Workshop in Newbury in the 90s, when the NWN arts editor Trish Lee was the centre director.

“Alice Kettle… has established a unique area of practice by her use of a craft medium, consistently and on an unparalleled scale. The scale of her work belies their component parts: individual tiny stitches, which combine to form great swathes of colour, painterly backgrounds incorporating rich hues and metallic sheen,” Sara Roberts.

Alice studied art at Reading College and was taught by Terry Frost and Albert Irvin. In that time she together with her fellow students often went to Reading Museum to draw. She told Johannes that it meant a lot to her that Reading Museum now holds one of her pieces. “It feels like coming home,” she said.