May is a busy month at Bassetlaw Museum in Retford and visitors are invited to four exhibitions which are sure to appeal to history and art enthusiasts alike.
Stories of Bassetlaw: Original Works by Christy Burdock
Exhibition runs until September
Bassetlaw Museum presents a new exhibition of artworks by Christy Burdock, created in response to the museum’s collection and the stories of the communities it serves.
Burdock, who studied at the Royal College of Art and now lives in the City of London, is drawn to the stories held within museum collections and the communities connected to them across Britain. Her process is one of deep immersion, with extended research forming what she describes as the scaffolding beneath her practice. She is particularly interested in the way ideas travel across time and geography.
Access to local voices and memories, made possible through the museum’s community connections, adds an additional layer of intimacy and meaning to the work. The artworks are displayed throughout the museum, each positioned close to the objects that inspired them. Executed mainly on beechwood panels, they respond to history rather than simply illustrate it, offering new perspectives on the collection.
Dressed to Kill
A film noir-style fashion exhibition, runs until October
This exhibition draws on the museum’s rich costume collection to evoke the atmosphere of 1940s to 1950s film noir. Tailored suits, sharp silhouettes and dramatic accessories hint at a world of shadowy streets and smoky bars, complemented by the elegant eveningwear of the era.
The Age of Cine: Cameras, Projectors and the Magic of Film
Exhibition runs until September
This display showcases a selection of cine equipment designed for the home-movie market. Highlights include a range of cameras, such as the iconic 1920s Baby Pathé, along with projectors and accessories. The exhibition also features programmes from local cinemas and the original ticket machine from the Regal, Worksop.
Litter Art: A Photography Exhibition by Frank Tomlinson
Saturday 9th May to Saturday 18th July
Frank Tomlinson is an established photographer known for his fine art, commercial work and documentary photography of the industrial North of England. In this exhibition, he turns his attention to a different subject.
Confronted by the growing amount of litter along the A57 and across the wider region, Frank began documenting the issue by collecting discarded objects and photographing them in his studio. These images transform everyday waste into striking visual pieces that demand attention.
Frank explains: “In my work I have focused mainly on aluminium cans, which are recyclable and clearly labelled with the instruction that they should be disposed of appropriately. Pristine when new, these cans take on a unique appearance once they are crushed under the wheels of a vehicle, with both form and function altered entirely.”