LONDON.- The National Gallery has teamed up with digital outdoor screen provider, Ocean Outdoor, to bring some of the most famous and uplifting works of art out from behind the Gallerys temporarily closed doors to thousands of people the length and breadth of the UK.
In a time when museums and galleries are closed to help contain the spread of coronavirus, opportunities to stand and enjoy the benefits of immersing yourself in a painting are limited. Ocean Outdoor and the National Gallery are working together to bring great art to the streets in locations including: Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Southampton.
Ocean Outdoor has kindly offered its huge digital sites to the National Gallery free for the next two weeks in order to display images of seven of the Gallerys most iconic paintings: Van Goghs Sunflowers (1888) and A Wheatfield, with Cypresses (1889), Monets The Water-Lily Pond (1899), van Eycks The Arnolfini Portrait (1434), Seurats Bathers at Asnières (1884), Vigée Le Bruns Self Portrait in a Straw Hat (1782) and Rousseaus Surprised! (1891).
For frontline workers, those starting to return to their jobs, and people taking their daily exercise, the paintings will hopefully be a cheering sight as they pass by. The emotional and mental health benefits of art have long been recognised and, through Oceans network of screens, the National Gallery hopes that sharing some of the nations greatest paintings on digital display can be a positive force for the nations wellbeing.
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, says: "Our role now, more importantly than ever, is to provide access to some of the world's greatest art to give people inspiration and solace in these difficult times. Therefore, we are hugely grateful for this generous gesture from Ocean Outdoor that is allowing us to bring the Nations Gallery to the nations streets and reach even more people."
Chris Standish, Ocean Outdoor head of brand partnerships, said: This partnership with the National Gallery really brings Oceans Art of Outdoor proposition to life. After such a difficult period, I cant think of a better way to lift the mood as people swap lockdown for the joy of outdoor spaces.