The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, UK is scheduled to reopen in January 2025 following a major £6 million transformation and development of its Sound and Vision project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The highly anticipated reopening will coincide with Bradford’s UK City of Culture celebrations, making it a key British cultural destination for 2025. After being pushed back due to construction issues, the museum will welcome visitors to its newly redesigned venues from January 8, with an exciting public program, interactive exhibitions, upgraded facilities designed to enhance the visitor experience, and returning favorite, the Kodak photography gallery.
One of the highlights for photography and art enthusiasts is the David Hockney: Pieced Together exhibition, opening on January 15, 2025. This exhibition shines a spotlight on Hockney’s photographic collages, known as 'Joiners', offering a unique perspective on his work that many are unaware of.
While Hockney is best known for his flamboyant paintings, his exploration of photography is equally significant. The Joiners combine multiple photographs into a single, fragmented image, providing viewers with a fresh way of experiencing time, space, and memory. This exhibition is a rare opportunity to see how Hockney utilized the medium, creating multi-perspective works that challenge traditional notions of photography.
A significant piece in David Hockney: Pieced Together will be a photographic collage of the National Science and Media Museum itself, captured in 1985 when it was still known as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. This Joiner offers a glimpse into the museum’s early history, blending Hockney’s innovative photographic technique with the institution's legacy.
Alongside the Hockney exhibition, the museum's Sound and Vision Galleries, set to open in the summer of 2025, will explore and celebrate the relationship between photography, film, and other visual media. The new galleries will offer an immersive experience of the museum's world-class collections, showcasing how photography and technology have evolved.
The revitalized National Science and Media Museum promises to be a vibrant hub for arts and culture in Bradford. For photographers and art lovers alike, the opening of the David Hockney exhibition and the upcoming Sound and Vision Galleries are not to be missed – an exciting glimpse into the past, present, and future of visual media.
