Islington Tribune - News: New year honour for art director

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 4 January 2008

Iwona Blazwick, OBE

New year honour for art director

Whitechapel Gallery head calls for more artistic outlets for young people

SHE lives close to King’s Cross and as one of Britain’s best-known art administrators has just won an OBE for her work with the famous Whitechapel Gallery.
But this week art historian and director of the Whitechapel, Iwona Blazwick, was more concerned about the lack of full-time arts facilities in her beloved Islington.
Ms Blazwick who lives off the Caledonian Road, received her award in the latest New Year Honours list for her work helping to restore the 100-year-old former Whitechapel public library, opposite the gallery.
A team set up by Ms Blazwick helped raise £12 million to refurbish the building and provide more space for exhibitions and art education and events.
But the married mother of one said she was concerned that there were not enough arts facilities in Islington for young people.
She added: “I’m delighted and honoured to have received the OBE but it was very much down to teamwork.
“I have to thank all my colleagues and members of my family who have helped.
“But I would like to use this opportunity to say that, as an Islington resident, I’m not aware of anywhere locally which has anything like the facilities of the Whitechapel Gallery.”
The Whitechapel is credited with helping to launch David Hockney and the Pop Art movement. It maintains strong involvement with the surrounding community by hosting a biennial showcase of artists from the East End.
Ms Blazwick said: “We could certainly do with more art in Islington. We’ve got Sadler’s Wells, Almeida and the King’s Head on the theatre side and they are always very good.
“But as far as I know there’s no full-time art gallery where local people can exhibit their paintings or go along and learn about art.
“There are not enough art activities in this area for young people. There are a lot of estates but not enough outlets for young people.”
Ms Blazwick studied at Exeter University. She began her career as curator, then director of exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
She later became head of exhibitions at Tate Modern.
The new library space is due to open in early 2009.
During the 1990s Ms Blazwick worked as commissioning editor for Phaidon Press, and in addition, has published several works – An Endless Feast: on British situationism; Lawrence Weiner; Ilya Kabakov; joint editor of Tate Modern: the handbook; and editor of Century City.
In 2000 she edited a directory called Fresh Cream, a “Who’s Who” of the best new talent in the international modern art world.

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