To start the proceedings a packed programme is planned; the five galleries will be given over to as many international artists: American Chris Burden (until 13 October), Belgian Carsten Höller with his new piece ‘Neon Circle’ and the installation ‘Phi Wall’ (until 31 August on the ground floor), Julian Opie from London (until 13 October), Catalan Jaume Plensa (until 18 August) and British video artists Jane & Louise Wilson (until 15 September). Whilst in the ‘studios’ will be work by Cuban trio Los Carpinteros, Alec Finlay, Rva Grubinger, Chad McCail and Tsuysohi Osawa.
In a unique setting, in the north of England on the south side of the river Tyne, the ex Baltic Flour Mills had been abandoned since the fifties and had been converted by architectural practice Ellis Williams (based in London, Berlin and Warrington), winners of a competition set in 1994. The designers have maintained the two main brick facades (north and south), whilst the east and west elevations have been glazed in such a way to give adequate natural light and a spectacular view across the river. A new two storey building has been built in front of the west side to form the main entrance to the building, six storeys high to which have been added three mezzanine levels. The conversion of the Baltic – at a cost of 46 million pounds (71 millions of Euros) – part of the area of Gateshead Quays, is the centre of a fifteen year development plan – with a budget of 250 million pounds (386.578.000 Euros) – destined to create 1840 new dwellings and 1500 jobs.
13.7.2002
Apertura al pubblico del Baltic Centre di Gateshead
http://www.balticmill.com
http://www.ewa.co.uk
