Topic: Demise of the National Media Museum

[Late Developer]

As the risk of coming across as a moaning Northerner, I've been reading reports in various magazines / online about huge collections of prints and other artifacts being moved from the National Media Museum in Bradford to the V&A and Science Museum - both of which are in London.

Not sure if anyone else has seen this but, the more I read, the madder I get. I work in London and this would actually benefit me but I'm getting really sick of the London-centric attitude towards the arts. 

If you've read the UK B&W Magazine, you'll have seen the number of high profile exhibitions taking place outside London and the South East dwindling over the past few years.  The NMM in Bradford is a superb venue and it should be promoted and grown not eroded.

Anyway, rant over.

[charles binns]

I heard this on the radio cycling home last week.  The director of the NMM was bemoaning the fact this country does not have a national photographic museum and put forward a very eloquent case for the UK having one. 

I also agree with the fact that London seems to dominate the arts scene disproportionately tot the rest of the country  - though perhaps a capital city always will.

But just think of the damage all that coal dust and chip fat has done to the prints in Bradford over the years.  Lord help us if a pack of whippets started chewing some of the negatives.

Nay lad.  t'photos are better off down South.  Weather's warmer 'n all.

[Late Developer]

I heard this on the radio cycling home last week.  The director of the NMM was bemoaning the fact this country does not have a national photographic museum and put forward a very eloquent case for the UK having one. 

I also agree with the fact that London seems to dominate the arts scene disproportionately tot the rest of the country  - though perhaps a capital city always will.

But just think of the damage all that coal dust and chip fat has done to the prints in Bradford over the years.  Lord help us if a pack of whippets started chewing some of the negatives.

Nay lad.  t'photos are better off down South.  Weather's warmer 'n all.

F**king Cockney! 

PS - you up for a beer next week?

[charles binns]

I'm always up for a beer.  You should know that by now.

[Kayos]

As a lifelong moaning northerner I agree, there are one offs that were donated to Bradford and should stay in Bradford

London isn't the centre of the universe

[Late Developer]

For those who want to read about this disgraceful episode:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/07/national-media-museum-photographs-bradford-rps-collection-va-london

[Francois]

In a sense, it's not much worse than our new museum of photography. Once the building was finished it was entirely converted into office space for the government.
Jut imagine having a bunch of cubicles in a nice large exhibition space 

The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, once located in a reconstructed railway tunnel beside the Rideau Canal, is now permanently housed in the National Gallery of Canada. Canada's first photography museum maintains a permanent collection of more than 160,000 images focusing on Canadian photography as an art form.

The Government has announced that the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography (CMCP) building at 1 Rideau Canal in Ottawa will be taken over by Parliament for office space and meeting rooms. The CMCP is the only museum in Canada devoted to the photographic image. It was created in 1985 after intense lobbying by the photographic community and opened its $16M state-of-the-art facility in 1992.

[gsgary]

As a lifelong moaning northerner I agree, there are one offs that were donated to Bradford and should stay in Bradford

London isn't the centre of the universe

But it is the centre of the shit hole , I hate the bloody place

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[imagesfrugales]

I'm through with politics. We are ruled by criminals all over the world. And oppositional politicians who pretend to have the better solutions are also criminals, at the latest they will be when they take over the government. For some extra privilege we not only sell our mother but the whole world.

Rant from a moaning Southener in Kraut Country. Sorry for that, I vow reform. Damn, must I?

[Late Developer]

It transpires that the NMM in Bradford is actually part of ther Science Museum - which is based in London.  There are suggestions that there has been a "plan" for some time to migrate some, if not all, of the NMM collection to the Science Museum and V&A.  I'm not sure whether there is political pressure or, if there is, how heavy.  It's difficult to imagine there isn't some politics involved at some level.

I know Bradford well as my ex hailed from there and I was married there (first time around).  It isn't the prettiest place and it has its issues, however, I was one of the first prople through the door when the "National Museum of Film, Photography and Television" (as it was called, originally) opened its doors.  It is a fantastic venue and one of the few "national" status arts (or other entertainment) resources outside London.  Why can't some governmental arts / culture secretary just step in and stop this?

Having the RPS and other collections moved to London will hurt the NMM, possibly fatally. It will be interesting to see if it is still functioning as a top-tier photographic arts venue in 2-5 years or it is just an IMAX cinema with a few viewing rooms.

[Kayos]

Anyone remember the original IMAX adverts? "50 foot screen, anything smaller is for Southerners"

[charles binns]

I'm through with politics. We are ruled by criminals all over the world. And oppositional politicians who pretend to have the better solutions are also criminals, at the latest they will be when they take over the government. For some extra privilege we not only sell our mother but the whole world.

Rant from a moaning Southener in Kraut Country. Sorry for that, I vow reform. Damn, must I?

Brexit mate, that's the only answer   or that's what I tell the Italian who sits next to me at the moment. 

Maybe the North should secede from the South - Nexit.  though a Southern secession, Sexit, sounds like a better idea to me.

Paul, sadly I imagine that the NMM will end up being an IMAX soon.  That seems to be the way this country is going.

I'd imagine they'd show endless re runs of Kes.  Or films about whippets. 

[zapsnaps]

I'm shocked - Paul reads the Guardian

[Late Developer]

I'm through with politics. We are ruled by criminals all over the world. And oppositional politicians who pretend to have the better solutions are also criminals, at the latest they will be when they take over the government. For some extra privilege we not only sell our mother but the whole world.

Rant from a moaning Southener in Kraut Country. Sorry for that, I vow reform. Damn, must I?

Maybe the North should secede from the South - Nexit.  though a Southern secession, Sexit, sounds like a better idea to me.

Paul, sadly I imagine that the NMM will end up being an IMAX soon.  That seems to be the way this country is going.

I'd imagine they'd show endless re runs of Kes.  Or films about whippets. 

I'm definitely up for either "Nexit" or "Sexit" - just not before I've retired and headed back to the frozen wastelands of my youth.  All this sub-tropical heat down here really doesn't suit me 

I suspect you might be right, though the NMM was the first IMAX in the UK and it would be a disaster if it ended up as that being it's only notable feature or attraction.  I haven't been there for 2/3 years but I must get up there soon and see what's left. 

According to the latest edition of Black and White Magazine April 2016 - Edition 188), the NMM has:

"Great Interactions: Life with Learning Disabilities and Autism; a book and exhibition by Polly Braden in partnership with MacIntyre Charity." This is on until 10 April.

Compare and contrast that with the V&A, which has:

"Paul Strand: Photography and Film for the 20th Century. The first retrospective in the UK for over 30 years."

I'm not taking a pop at the "Great Interactions" exhibit which, I'm sure, will be very interesting.  However, which of these would one expect to see at a "National Media Museum"?  Maybe it'll go on tour? Maybe pigs will sprout wings....

[charles binns]

Paul

At least you get decent beer down here.

[gsgary]

Paul

At least you get decent beer down here.

You got to be joking and how much do you pay, for the beers I like in my small local I pay £2.50 a pint, all the best breweries are north of Watford

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[charles binns]

I can remember paying 60p a pint, 60p for a packet of fags and a kebab for a  quid.  you could have a good night out for a fiver.  So long as you didn't chase after girls.

These days you can't even get a pint for a fiver.  And people insist on drinking lager or (even worse) alcopops or cider.  And the beers come in continental style pint glasses; stupid shapes and with the beer's logo all over it. 

Why can't they just serve a pint of bitter in a  ****ing plain pint pot like they used to?

Which reminds me. I need to pm LD about next week.

And the beer is better down south.  End of.

[gsgary]

I can remember paying 60p a pint, 60p for a packet of fags and a kebab for a  quid.  you could have a good night out for a fiver.  So long as you didn't chase after girls.

These days you can't even get a pint for a fiver.  And people insist on drinking lager or (even worse) alcopops or cider.  And the beers come in continental style pint glasses; stupid shapes and with the beer's logo all over it. 

Why can't they just serve a pint of bitter in a  ****ing plain pint pot like they used to?

Which reminds me. I need to pm LD about next week.

And the beer is better down south.  End of.

One of my mates owns a brewery, beat that 

[charles binns]

I own a brewery.  So there.

Actually I don't.   

[Late Developer]

I can remember paying 60p a pint, 60p for a packet of fags and a kebab for a  quid.  you could have a good night out for a fiver.  So long as you didn't chase after girls.

These days you can't even get a pint for a fiver.  And people insist on drinking lager or (even worse) alcopops or cider.  And the beers come in continental style pint glasses; stupid shapes and with the beer's logo all over it. 

Why can't they just serve a pint of bitter in a  ****ing plain pint pot like they used to?

Which reminds me. I need to pm LD about next week.

And the beer is better down south.  End of.

Some beer is better down south but my personal preference is for Timothy Taylor (Landlord) and Robinson's (which hails from my home town of Stockport).  I suppose it's what you're brought up with. Boddingtons used to be good, as was Chesters - but I think that went the way of the Dodo some years ago.

Worryingly, there are some very good beers brewed in the midlands - Marston's being a particular fave.  Deuchar's was always a decent pint north of the border and, when in the Principality, I like Brain's (from Cardiff, I believe). 

Beer (bitter) was about £0.25 a pint when I started drinking (officially) in 1979. Mild was a couple of pence cheaper.  I could see 2 football games (City and Stockport County), go to Belle Vue speedway and have a few beers / curry over a weekend for £5 - almost to the penny.

Guinness is a favourite in pubs that only sell keg fizz as an alternative - but it is a ludicrous price. I tend not to drink beers that are served in weird-shaped glasses as they tend to be lagers and, therefore, far too cosmopolitan for my base tastes.

[gsgary]

I can remember paying 60p a pint, 60p for a packet of fags and a kebab for a  quid.  you could have a good night out for a fiver.  So long as you didn't chase after girls.

These days you can't even get a pint for a fiver.  And people insist on drinking lager or (even worse) alcopops or cider.  And the beers come in continental style pint glasses; stupid shapes and with the beer's logo all over it. 

Why can't they just serve a pint of bitter in a  ****ing plain pint pot like they used to?

Which reminds me. I need to pm LD about next week.

And the beer is better down south.  End of.

Some beer is better down south but my personal preference is for Timothy Taylor (Landlord) and Robinson's (which hails from my home town of Stockport).  I suppose it's what you're brought up with. Boddingtons used to be good, as was Chesters - but I think that went the way of the Dodo some years ago.

Worryingly, there are some very good beers brewed in the midlands - Marston's being a particular fave.  Deuchar's was always a decent pint north of the border and, when in the Principality, I like Brain's (from Cardiff, I believe). 

Beer (bitter) was about £0.25 a pint when I started drinking (officially) in 1979. Mild was a couple of pence cheaper.  I could see 2 football games (City and Stockport County), go to Belle Vue speedway and have a few beers / curry over a weekend for £5 - almost to the penny.

Guinness is a favourite in pubs that only sell keg fizz as an alternative - but it is a ludicrous price. I tend not to drink beers that are served in weird-shaped glasses as they tend to be lagers and, therefore, far too cosmopolitan for my base tastes.

Marston?  Garbage, micro breweries are blowing most big breweries out of the water there are more than 50 in Derbyshire

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[gsgary]

I can remember paying 60p a pint, 60p for a packet of fags and a kebab for a  quid.  you could have a good night out for a fiver.  So long as you didn't chase after girls.

These days you can't even get a pint for a fiver.  And people insist on drinking lager or (even worse) alcopops or cider.  And the beers come in continental style pint glasses; stupid shapes and with the beer's logo all over it. 

Why can't they just serve a pint of bitter in a  ****ing plain pint pot like they used to?

Which reminds me. I need to pm LD about next week.

And the beer is better down south.  End of.

Some beer is better down south but my personal preference is for Timothy Taylor (Landlord) and Robinson's (which hails from my home town of Stockport).  I suppose it's what you're brought up with. Boddingtons used to be good, as was Chesters - but I think that went the way of the Dodo some years ago.

Worryingly, there are some very good beers brewed in the midlands - Marston's being a particular fave.  Deuchar's was always a decent pint north of the border and, when in the Principality, I like Brain's (from Cardiff, I believe). 

Beer (bitter) was about £0.25 a pint when I started drinking (officially) in 1979. Mild was a couple of pence cheaper.  I could see 2 football games (City and Stockport County), go to Belle Vue speedway and have a few beers / curry over a weekend for £5 - almost to the penny.

Guinness is a favourite in pubs that only sell keg fizz as an alternative - but it is a ludicrous price. I tend not to drink beers that are served in weird-shaped glasses as they tend to be lagers and, therefore, far too cosmopolitan for my base tastes.

Forget Robinson and try some Quantum beers brewed in Stockport


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[Kai-san]

I've seen many threads derailed as soon as food/drink is mentioned, but from National Media Museum to beer takes the price! 
Anyway I agree with Reinhold, all politicians are corrupt.