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Aiming to become the next big thing in the display, appreciation and center of attraction for contemporary art, the Turner contemporary opened to general public on the 16th of April 2011. The brand new visual arts venue is located on the seafront in Margate, Kent, England. It is intended to become the choicest destination of all forms of contemporary art as well as to provide the much needed push towards regeneration of the town’s economy and tourism. The Turner contemporary is said to be inspired by the unique enquiring nature of the British painter JMW Turner.

Turner was said to regularly visit the town. During his visits, he used to live at the spot where the new art gallery has been erected. It is so designed to inspire others to go after their curiosities and use novel ways of thinking and learning. It is one of the largest spaces which has been converted to a gallery entirely dedicated to contemporary art outside London. The Turner contemporary gallery has been designed by the world famous designer and architect, David Chipperfield. They are known for their outstanding designs and have won the RIBA Stirling Prize and RIBA Royal Gold Medal for excellence in architecture. Originally the gallery was to be designed by Norwegian architects Snohetta and a British architect Stephen Spence. In this case, the plan was to situate it on the harbor end of the town. The said design would have allowed for completion in 2007 and would have approximately cost £55 million.

The plans were scrapped when they realized that the building there would be easy prey to the furious forces of nature facing the North Sea. Following that, The Turner contemporary gallery was started to be built in 2008 after the designs of David Chipperfield were praised and approved. The building was started and completed well within schedule and has opened to the public in April 2011. The total cost of the building is estimated to be around £17.5 million which is pretty reasonable for a project of this scale. The building had a footfall of nearly 14000 in its opening weekend itself. Chipperfield paid special attention to details such as lighting and robustness of the gallery. They understood that the gallery was intended to be more of a studio and less of a permanent museum. The art space is said to have been meticulously constructed so as to fulfill its immediate purposes and to take precedence over cafes and shops which hinder people from getting to the art sites of art. Structurally the gallery is pretty sturdy. It comprises of six rectangular forms that interlock with each other.

This creates a stronghold that is necessary for being so close to the seafront. It is built on a plinth that will protect it from flooding from sea water. Chipperfield has taken special care regarding the lighting and directions to woo artists from world over to this new haven for contemporary art. There are a series of apertures on the roof and along the facade. The three first floor gallery spaces are lit by natural light from the north-facing roof and sky lights. These give a prominent silhouette and enable the light to be brought into all spaces on the first floor. The ground floor is made of polished concrete and glass. It gives the entire room a sheen which is serene and mute. The natural light brightens the entire scene including the huge lobby and its corner cafe which overlooks the beach. The ground floor has double the usual height to allow display contemporary art. The light also makes the study room a place of beauty. The study rooms are to be used by adults and school children for learning about contemporary art, its origin and history through the ages.

The in house cafe is promoted as a place to drink, relax and a break in between your journey called Turner contemporary. It offers beautiful view of the bay and has a terrace too. They have on offer Breakfast, Lunch and supper on weekdays and the weekends they include a welcoming dinner too. The cuisine is modern and follows the season. The kitchen is run by Head Chef Adrian Mowl. His team specializes in excellent dishes made from seafood procured locally, shellfish and changing 2-3 course dinner. Food ingredients are mostly sourced locally, fish and poultry are smoked in the kitchen itself. Not to mention, the fresh chutney and patisserie, this is produced on a daily basis. The cafe is also stocked with fine natural wines supplied by the awarded and celebrated Les Caves de Pyrene.

According to the gallery authorities, they offer temporary exhibitions and learning opportunities which would enable visitors to connect the nuances of contemporary art originating from 1750 to the present date. Personal navigated tours with professional navigators trained to discuss with you more about Turner contemporary and the art on display, will help you understand and appreciate the entire experience. Currently the Turner contemporary is also offering artist led workshops which is inspired by the current exhibits and fine tuned to meet the needs of the group. They also have on offer, mirror building sessions. In these sessions participants are inspired to use mirrored fabrics, poles and other material to build customized building structures or dens as they call it. One of the most interesting sessions they conduct here at Contemporary Turner is the huge doodle contraption that adds up to form a floor doodle.

This was inspired by Conrad Shawcross’s artwork in Revealed: Turned Contemporary Opens. Drawing and navigational aids are also available for enthusiasts at a nominal cost per session. Currently however, according to the information displayed on their official website the mirror building and expansive doodle sessions are on offer until 4th September 2011 only. Apart from exhibiting artwork and providing workshops on art, Turner contemporary is also offering itself for hire as a venue for private or corporate affairs including weddings. Situated off the coast the building does offer superb views of the sky and the sea. For weddings, special rooms such as the Foyle rooms and the Clore Learning Studios are available and offer the best backdrop for a couple to take their vows or renew them as they wish. The maximum capacity of these rooms is 80 and 120 for theater style and cabaret style arrangements respectively.

They are also offering wedding packages for a minimum of 50 people event. For any other event, the rooms are available on a full day, half day or just for the evening basis. On Mondays, when the gallery is closed for public, the entire gallery can be booked for a special event and private viewing purpose. This opportunity can be used to conduct a fashion show, or a new product launch or any other similar high profile event. On such an occasion up to 300 people can be accommodated in the building. The authorities also have state-of-the-art equipment to cover audio-visual requirements of the customers and their events. They have event chairs, tables and cleaning services on hand, not to mention provisions for refreshments and a special canapé reception for the esteemed guests. On top of it all, they have an in house caterer who can take orders to make the arrangements for food and drinks at the venue for giving the event or meeting a final professional touch. Turner contemporary promises its customers an unforgettable experience amidst the greatest of contemporary art, soothing sea and a modern location.

The proceeds from the hiring will be donated to the charity dedicated to help sustain Turner contemporary abs expand their gamut of exhibitions, educational events and other activities. The galleries are environment controlled. The first floor also has a learning studio. The floors are also provided with balconies that offer breathtaking panoramic views encompassing both the sea and the town. On the outside, you can see that the gallery is covered in white glass, which by nature is to make the building, its location and lighting more prominent to outside viewers. The building looks very businesslike with its exteriors trying to merge its colors with the sky and the water around it. There is nothing spectacular or whacky about the design. It’s simple and it serves its purpose.

The Turner contemporary was made possible because of constant support and efforts of artist Tracey Emin. When it was brought to Margate, the whole construction was funded by several firms. These included the Kent City Council who contributed £ 6.4 million, Thanet District council, who donated the land, SEEDA (South East England Development Agency) who provided £4 million and the Arts council England who supported the cause with a donation of £ 4.1 million. The remaining £2.9 million is being raised by the Turner contemporary art Trust.

The Turner contemporary gallery is rather modern piece of architecture which may look out of place beside the houses on the seafront of this traditional harbor town. Critics have also mentioned Chipperfield’s disregard for the clock-tower at the edge of the town which is currently encumbered with the presence of this imposing concrete and acid washed glass structure. The Turner contemporary is believed to become a locus of art and culture sharing, a haven for the buzzing artist community of England and other parts of Europe in near future while catapulting the sleepy seaside town of Margate back to its glory days.

About the author: Alia Haley is a writer who is an ardent follower of environment friendly existence. Being an eco friendly enthusiast, she prefers to own only eco friendly items in her closet. She is currently busy in growing building her own greenhouse.