Newe exhibition for Falmouth (From This is The West Country)

Newe exhibition for Falmouth

5:28pm Tuesday 30th June 2009

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The new exhibition at Falmouth Art Gallery captures the magic of A day at the zoo. The exhibition features spectacular images of animals living in zoos in Cornwall and around the world. Wonderful animal paintings, sculptures, photography, automata and film make this a show for all the family. A day at the zoo is part of a season of Darwin 200 exhibitions funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It will feature colourful artwork by John Dyer who is the Darwin 200 ‘painter in residence’ at Newquay Zoo. Nick Brennan, cartoonist for the Beano, has created an exotic zoo cartoon with a specially designed cage frame. Other highlights include exciting animal photographs by Michelle Turton of Newquay Zoo and Alison Hales of Paradise Park, a fantastic peacock sculpture by Ben Sanderson, zoo paintings by Bill Bolger, Peter Davies and Martina Thomas and much more.

People have been visiting zoos ever since the days of Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Chinese and Aztecs. Voyages of discovery, like that made by Darwin on The Beagle, brought back exotic animals and plants, both dead and alive, to royal collections. The collection of the British monarchy moved from the Tower of London to form the ‘Zoological gardens’ in 1826. The aim at first was not to let the public visit, but instead to create a collection of animals for research and study. Only in 1847 were the public allowed in to visit to help fund the ‘Zoo’, a short nickname from a Victorian music hall song. Newquay Zoo was the first public zoo in Cornwall. It started as a seasonal summer seaside zoo but was rebuilt by the local council on a permanent site in 1969. Now run by an education and scientific charity, Newquay Zoo houses over a hundred species of endangered animals as part of international breeding programmes. Other good conservation work in Cornwall is carried out by Paradise Park, Hayle; Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay; the National Seal Sanctuary, Gweek; the Lobster Hatchery, Padstow; and the Monkey Sanctuary, Looe.

The gallery has planned a lively programme of FREE workshops and events to accompany the exhibition. Family workshops take place every Saturday, just drop in from 2 – 3 pm. Activities include a creepy crawly talk with live specimens to revolt the squeamish given by Mark Norris of Newquay Zoo, painting, collage, sculpture and much more. The gallery is also staging a ‘Mid Summer spectacular’ during Falmouth Week, 8 -15 August. The highlight of the week will be a ‘Penrhythm party’, a drumming and fancy dress party featuring the popular local band ‘Penrhythm’. A day at the zoo runs from Saturday 4 July – 5 September. The Heritage Lottery funded Darwin 200 celebrations are jointly undertaken by Falmouth Art Gallery, Newquay Zoo and Penlee House Gallery & Museum in association with University Collage Falmouth incorporating Dartington College. Falmouth Art Gallery is open 10 - 5pm Monday to Saturday (closed Sundays). Admission is free. For any other information on events and workshops please contact Donna Williams on 01326 313863.

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