PRESS RELEASE
from
Geevor Tin Mine Museum & Heritage Centre

29th September 2008

GEEVOR GALLERY OPENS WITH KURT JACKSON EXHIBITION

A new art gallery is about to open at Geevor Tin Mine in Pendeen and one of Cornwall’s most famous contemporary artists, Kurt Jackson, will be the first to hold an exhibition there.

Entitled ‘The Mining Paintings’, the much anticipated exhibition will feature work never previously on display - including some pieces created within the adits and shafts of the old Geevor workings, work created at South Crofty and work created in the Spanish copper mine, Aguas Tenidas.

The exhibition, which has been funded by the Arts Council, will run at Geevor from Sunday, October 5th until Sunday, March 15th.

Kurt Jackson is one of only a handful of artists who has tried to capture the working lives and environment of Cornwall’s miners. His home is within walking distance of the mine and, over the years, he has regularly shared a pint with friends who worked there. Ironically, though, he had never used Geevor as a subject for his paintings until the invitation came to launch the Hard Rock Gallery with an exhibition of his work.
Talking about the exhibition, Kurt Jackson said: “All the underground paintings are painted in situ, which is obviously challenging with the problems of darkness, pouring and dripping water, wet mud and the inherent dangers associated with a mine. However all these potential problems make painting underground both exciting and challenging and therefore potentially leading to interesting results and discoveries.
“I used mixed media to create the paintings which, in this case, include watercolour, ink, pastels, crayons, collage, acrylic and sometimes mud from the mine itself.”
Bill Lakin, Chair of Trustees for Pendeen Community Heritage which manages Geevor Tin Mine, described the Kurt Jackson exhibition as a very exciting way of launching The Hard Rock Gallery.
He said: “We are delighted that Kurt agreed to be the first artist to display his work there. He is an extraordinary artist who has a unique ability to define not only what a place is like but also how it feels to be there and that sets him apart. I hope as many people as possible will take advantage of the opportunity to see this wonderful body of new work.”
Tamsin Daniel, Penwith District Council’s Museums and Heritage Officer, was equally enthusiastic.
She said: “Our aim is to make the Hard Rock Gallery at Geevor a space where art and craft, technology and innovation can come together, offering diverse interpretations of the site and responses to our shared heritage, as well as a space for touring and community exhibitions. We hope that by creating a gallery space within this industrial heritage site that we will attract new audiences to Geevor and add to what is already an amazing family attraction.”
Entrance to the gallery is included in the entry price to the Geevor.

1st October 2008

NEW MUSEUM OPENING OCTOBER 11th - 11am

EXPLOSIVE OPENING TO GEEVOR’S HARD ROCK MUSEUM

LIKE all exciting mining experiences the opening of Geevor Tin Mine’s new Hard Rock museum promises to go with a bang – literally!

Guests can expect an explosive ceremony in tandem with the more usual ribbon-cutting, which will be performed by local centigenarian, Mrs Winnie Sevier, whose father and husband both worked as mine manager at Geevor.

The museum itself is the final stage of a £3.8 million improvement programme at the Pendeen-based attraction funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Objective One, Cornwall County Council and Penwith District Council.

It’s a hands-on experience with many of the exhibits involving wheels, knobs and buttons for interactive enjoyment - bringing the finer scientific points of mining and metal extraction to life.

The new museum boasts a replica stope – an underground excavation area - to bring people a step closer to the real mining experience, as well as collections of minerals and rare mining artefacts. Visitors will also be able to listen to authentic stories gathered from former Geevor miners creating an atmospheric impression of real working life underground.

Mrs Sevier is a keen fan and supporter of Geevor – the largest preserved mining heritage centre in Europe. Her association with the mine goes back as far as 1919 when her father, Charles, known as Captain Cann, was made mine manager. Winnie married a Geevor mining engineer, William Sevier, in 1932 and William became mine manager when Winnie’s father died four years later. Continuing the ongoing family link, Mrs Sevier’s great niece, Jo Buckingham, currently works as Geevor’s Education Development Officer.

Entry to the opening ceremony on Saturday 11 October is free. There will be no underground tours on the day but visitors will be able to access the mine buildings, which have benefited from the multi-million pound improvement programme, as well as the museum.