“Julia Midgley: Chester Roman Amphitheatre” is a new exhibition at the Grosvenor Museum, which opens on Thursday 9 June and runs until Sunday 4 September.
Julia Midgley was Artist in Residence during the 2004 archaeological excavation at Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre. Her drawings feature every aspect of the project from site preparation to briefings, from excavation work to the finds room, together with the people involved – archaeologists, historians, contractors, students, film makers and photographers. Drawn onto hand-made tinted paper with acrylic inks, pencil and watercolour, these live action drawings made on location provide a dynamic record of a fascinating project. All the drawings are for sale.
Julia said: “These drawings describe in chronological order the everyday working life of the project, watching 21st-century archaeology at work. I relied on direct observation rather than using a camera, and sometimes drew at speed, while complex scenes demanded a more measured approach. Once off site, the drawings were developed in my Northwich studio.”
The excavation is a partnership between Chester City Council and English Heritage. The project’s three-year mission is to explore the archaeological potential of Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre and its surrounding historic landscape in order to inform future strategies.
Julia Midgley is Reader in Documentary Drawing at Liverpool John Moores University and was elected a full member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers this year. Drawing has been the bedrock of her professional life, underpinning her personal, printmaking and documentary work. Now living in Northwich, she has exhibited extensively in this country and abroad, and her work is included in numerous public and corporate collections.
The accompanying programme of events includes an exhibition tour with Julia Midgley on Tuesday 14 June, National Archaeology Day at the Amphitheatre on Saturday 16 July, a lecture on recent discoveries at the Amphitheatre on Tuesday 16 August, and a drawing workshop for children on Thursday 1 September.
Julia Midgley’s exhibition is part of a wider programme of Amphitheatre-related events to be held in Chester this summer. At the Grosvenor Museum these include an exciting exhibition “To be Killed with Iron: The World of the Roman Gladiator” from 2 July – 29 August, which will be accompanied by gladiator fights and lots of hands-on holiday activities.