I woke up yesterday to the dulcet tones of the Today Programme on Radio 4 – to hear all about Nottingham Contemporary. It seems that the second exhibition – which opens today has attracted national coverage!

I might still have my doubts about the architecture as I have blogged about before. But I cannot deny that if the budget figures of 5,000 visitors for the opening exhibition are a genuine test of success then that is what it was. A huge success – with 18,000 people going to see the Hockney exhibition.

But the next exhibition might be more of a challenge. For the next twelve weeks we have ‘Star City‘. Which is a retrospective about the space race with emphasis on the communist approach n the early 1960′s. Evidently we have some soviet propaganda posters of Yuri Gagarin – who sounded such a hero when I was a kid. (This is despite the fact he made his historic mission the year before I was born!)

Both Graham Chapman, Deputy leader of the Council and Alex Farquharson, Director at the Gallery were interviewed and asked whether Nottingham Contemporary had contributed to the regeneration of the City. The consensus was ‘yes’. Arguing that people were being drawn to this part of the city again and that those visitors included young folks were two reasons that this was a success. That there has been a buzz was quoted too.

The city has much to be proud of and this facility adds to a really good offer.

We next need to work on the Robin Hood story – which can fit nicely with art. To that end I am seeing the Sheriff of Nottingham again next week to see what progress we can make – principally to capitalise on the new film…

Watch this space!! And go and see the Contemporary – if you do let me know what you think! The food is great….

UPDATE 14 FEBRUARY

We did visit the Gallery today to see the exhibition. It is certainly interesting – I particularly enjoyed some of the films.

If I am honest I didn’t enjoy it as much as Hockney – some of the art is more challenging! In the same way that I struggle with some of Tracey Emin’s work – there was some stuff here that had the same questionable art credibility (the blank sheet of white paper?). It was interesting to see the Russian posters form the 1960′s – they do have a certain ‘style’. It was a time when the USSR was painting a very positive picture of the space race – which they effectively won with the launch of Sputnik. The full scale model is fascinating – it is tiny! Some of the propaganda films are interesting too – ‘spin’ in the 1960′s.

We did manage lunch in the Cafe – great food at a reasonable price. I love my chips in a bean can!