Great North Museum: Hancock's New Exhibit Gives Voice to Women of the Ancient World

Newcastle University's Great North Museum: Hancock is bridging the gap between past and present with a new exhibition, Voicing Objects. This new display - curated by Olivia Turner, Sally Waite, and Leah Wild - will reveal how historical objects can uphold or challenge patriarchy.

Taking centre stage is a new moving image artwork created by Olivia Turner in response to selected clay artefacts from the Shefton Collection of Greek Art and Archaeology. These artefacts - including a terracotta figurine of a heavily draped woman and a terracotta womb dating back to the 4th century BCE - relate to women's lives in the ancient world, bringing voice to historically marginalised stories. Olivia has worked closely with Pippa Anderson, a clinical vocal rehabilitation expert, to create an improvised soundtrack, which explores the voice as a method for care, expression, and healing.

The Shefton Collection is the most important collection of archaeological material from the Greek world in Northern England. The collection was founded by Professor Brian Shefton, who taught Greek archaeology at Newcastle University from 1955 until his retirement in 1984. One of the collection's main strengths is the extensive range of pottery covering all the significant periods of Greek history.

Dr Olivia Turner, Artist and Associate Lecturer in Fine Art at Newcastle University, said: "This exhibition has been an exciting collaboration between art and archaeology. I have been working with the Shefton Collection for a number of years - it has been a joy to work so closely with ancient objects, Sally Waite, and the Great North Museum: Hancock. I hope this artwork provides new ways of seeing, thinking and feeling about the stories of ancient women's lives and how they resonate with us today."

Dr Sally Waite, Senior Lecturer in Greek Art and Archaeology at Newcastle University, said: "The exhibition provides an opportunity to showcase the Shefton Collection in a provocative new way through conversation with contemporary art, and in doing so, it offers a bold reimagining of the artefacts in relation to women's voice."

Malavika Anderson, Museum Manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said: "We are very excited to showcase this exhibition at our museum. The dialogue between Olivia Turner’s contemporary art and this rich archaeological collection is truly special – offering new layers of meaning and interpretation for our audiences.

"Many of the items in the Shefton collection were acquired from the art market, so sadly, their provenance is unknown; this is why we are eager to support projects in the form of 'Voicing Objects' and the wider research Newcastle University is undertaking to discover more about the history of the collection and how these objects from the ancient Mediterranean came to Newcastle upon Tyne in the 20th century."

Voicing Objects is on display at the Great North Museum: Hancock until 14 April 2024. Entry is free. For full details of opening times, events, and facilities available, please visit the website: https://greatnorthmuseum.org.uk/

Image: A still from the Voicing Objects film