Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sainsbury Centre |
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Sainsbury Centre
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Art gallery and museum |
| Architectural style | Structural Expressionism |
| Location | UEA, Norwich, England, UK |
| Construction started | 1974 |
| Completed | 1978 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Foster + Partners |
The Sainsbury Centre is an exciting art museum located at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. It's a place where you can discover incredible art from all over the world.
In 2023, the Sainsbury Centre started a new and unique approach to art. They became the first museum to officially say that art is "alive"! Their main idea is 'Living Art Sharing Stories'. This means they want you to build special connections with the artworks. They believe art can help you explore and answer some of life's biggest questions.
This amazing building was designed by famous architects Norman Foster and Wendy Cheesman. It was completed in 1978. The building itself is considered very important. It became a Grade II* listed site in December 2012.
Building Design and History
The Sainsbury Centre building first opened its doors in 1978. It was designed between 1974 and 1976 by Norman Foster, who later became a very famous architect. The building shows off his early ideas of having one big, flexible space for everything. This design allows for easy changes inside and outside the building.
The centre is located on the western side of the university campus. It sits right next to the River Yare. The building also houses the School of World Art Studies and Museology. Foster once said that a building is only as good as the people who ask for it. He praised the Sainsbury family and the university for their support.
The main building looks like a huge box covered in steel panels. One side is almost entirely made of glass. You can clearly see the steel frame that holds it all together. Inside, the museum feels like one giant open area. There are no walls to block the natural light or the special lighting. Hidden areas hold things like restrooms and maintenance access.
About ten years after it opened, in 1988, the outside panels had to be replaced. The original aluminum panels had worn out.
By the late 1980s, the art collection had grown too big for the building. So, Foster was asked to design an extension. Instead of just adding more to the existing building, they decided to build underground! The sloped ground allowed for a larger basement area. This new part has a curved glass front that looks out over a man-made lake. You can only really see how big this new wing is when you view it from the lake. This "crescent wing" opened in 1991.
The Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Art Collection
In 1973, Sir Robert Sainsbury and Lady Lisa Sainsbury gave their amazing art collection to the university. They had been collecting art since the 1930s. Their first donation included over 300 artworks and objects.
Since then, the collection has grown a lot! It now has thousands of pieces that show over 5,000 years of human creativity. You can find art by famous artists like Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore, Alberto Giacometti, and Francis Bacon. Many of Henry Moore's sculptures are also placed around the university grounds.
The collection also features incredible art from different parts of the world. This includes pieces from Africa, such as a 'Fang Reliquary Head' from Gabon. There's also a Nigerian 'Head of an Oba'. You can also see art from Asia, North and South America, the Pacific region, medieval Europe, and the ancient Mediterranean.
See also
In Spanish: Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts para niños
- Sainsbury Institute for Art
- Sainsbury Research Unit
- School of Art History and World Art Studies (UEA)
