Coventry Old, Coventry New
Art // Steve // 21st April 2005
Looking forward to seeing this exhibition currently on at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry, of images by photographers at a local college of a city with such an interesting architectural past.
Priory Row - photograph by Stephanie Connah
Coventry has been ever-changing over the last 60 years. From the pre-war planning of a new town centre, through the bombing by Luftwaffe in November 1940, to the post-war reconstruction and development of the first traffic-free shopping area which started in the 1950s and has virtually carried on ever since, most recently with the renovation of the Lower Precinct. Not all the changes to the original architect Donald Gibson have had a positive effect on the town centre - personally I'd like to see the back of the permanently "TO LET" Coventry Point, and a violent but safe end to Cathedral Lanes, the bland shopping mall which blocks the views up the Precinct of the cities two cathedrals, but that's just me.
The Whittle Arch - photograph by Geoff Bicknell
Still, Coventry's town centre has moved forward more recently with the Millennium Square and Priory Place, and this exhibition comes right up to date with pictures of the striking Whittle Arch. Photographers taking part include:
- Richard Pearce, Coventry
- Helen Dodd, Kenilworth
- John Gallen, Coventry
- Ena Higginson, Coventry
- Helen Evans, Coventry
- Stephanie Connah, Kenilworth
- Geoff Bicknell, Coventry
The photography exhibition is the beginning of a programme of events at the Herbert Art Gallery designed to showcase the talent of Coventry's local artists. It's on 'til the 24th - get down there if you can.
Comments
No Geoff, its not just you. Everyone I know would happily arrest the people responsible for ‘Cathedral Lanes’ along
with its pathetic tent. However, there are other’s worth mentioning for their
pure ugliness such as Pool Meadow or the Sainsbury’s opposite.
Isn’t it high time the council put up the redesign of Broadgate to tender?
I’m sure there are a lot of urban/landscape designers who could come up with some stunning plans for a plaza cum open area. The flattening of Cathedral Lanes could only be justified when there is a chosen design proposal in store. At the moment the council seem too preoccupied thinking up of hare-brained schemes such as running buses through pedestrianised areas.
Will they ever address the Cathedral Lanes urban design crime?
mark : 06/07/2005 07:34:55