Press Release

'Adopt a Painting' to help restore the Marianne North Gallery

The Marianne North Gallery is a unique building holding a fascinating collection of one woman's botanical art. Having spent her life travelling the world, Marianne North slowly documented over 900 species in her own artistic style. This vast and invaluable collection of not only 832 paintings but also over 200 pieces of timber is housed in her gallery at Kew Gardens. Purpose built in 1882, the building is listed as Grade II and is the only gallery in the UK where all the work on display was produced by one female artist. Further to this it is also uniquely adorned with Mrs North's talent, from the personally decorated doorsteps to the intricate and geographically themed pattern of the way the paintings are hung.

However, the 120 year old building holding this extraordinary woman's legacy is in need of major restoration. While the design of the gallery has stood the test of time, with no insulation, the building and collection are at threat to the adverse affects of moisture and humidity. The vital restoration project, due to start in July 2008, will therefore repair various features of the building, improve the conditions for the display of North's collection and conserve and restore the collection itself. This work will increase access for all to the gallery and increase the overall enjoyment of the collection. A community outreach worker has consulted a wide range of community groups to establish their needs and interests and her results will in turn influence all aspects of the restoration project. During the restoration Kew Gardens will also be developing a fresh interpretation and an enhanced learning programme allowing the public to delve into North's history and the stories behind her art and discoveries.

The delicate and time-consuming restoration process is not just left in the hands of our restoration team. Through our ‘Adopt a Painting' scheme we are also offering people the chance, for as little as £500, to have their hand in safeguarding each paintings future and supporting such a unique artistic collection. All 832 paintings in the gallery are available for adoption and can be individually selected according to preference, from over 900 species. By saving a piece of Kew Gardens' heritage through our ‘adopt a painting scheme', each paintings new found supporter(s) will be given the chance to see the complex painting restoration process in person. They will also receive a print of their chosen North painting as well as the opportunity to attend a special event in the Gallery when reopened in 2009.

Notes to Editors;

For advice on which painting to choose people can email mng@kew.org or call Helen Lawrence on 020 8332 3249

Further Information

For further information please contact the Press Office at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Please visit www.kew.org/press or contact pr@kew.org / 020 8332 5607. Images are available at www.kew.org/press/images. Please contact the RBG Kew Press Office for a username and password to download in high resolution format.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Kew Gardens is a major international visitor attraction and its 132 hectares of landscaped gardens attract over one million visitors per year. Kew is a UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage Site and represents over 250 years of historical landscape. The site houses over 40 listed buildings and other structures including the Palm House, Temperate House, Orangery and Pagoda as well as two ancient monuments, Queen Charlotte's Cottage and Kew Palace. RBG, Kew is a world famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and world-class herbarium as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world. www.kew.org.

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