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Pop-up Gallery 2014: Taking Inspiration from The Madsen Collection – Rachel Jarman & Camilla Semourson

Students Rachel Jarman and Camilla Semourson discuss this year’s Pop-Up Gallery and the influence behind it, the exhibition Finding the Value at York St Marys.

Back in 2011,  Peter Madsen bequeathed all his belongings to York Museum Trust. Unbeknown to the Trust, This included his estate and his huge collection of artwork, ranging from furniture to paintings.

The Trust soon discovered the extent of Madsen’s bequest, which expressed his passion for art.

Madsen and his sister were unknown to York Museum Trust, hence the Trusts huge surprise at such a generous donation. The Trust has since tried to find out about the Madsen siblings but to no avail, as no photographs or information were found in his estate.

This donation left in Madsen’s will enabled York Art Gallery to carry out extensive refurbishment.

Griselda Goldsborough from York Museum Trust approached the Art Foundation students of York College, along with York university students to assist in a Pop Up exhibition which will be held at York St Mary’s church, to exhibit the Madsen Collection.

This exhibition consists of work, which has been deemed to have no monetary value, but as a group we discussed the possibility of one of these artworks being the most meaningful to the Madsen’s.

As a group we discussed our view on the Madsen Collection and what we felt the meaning was behind his collection. We decided to call the exhibition ‘Value of the Find’.

Value of the Find, the Pop-up Gallery will be held on the mezzanine level at York St Mary’s between Friday 24th Oct – Sunday 2nd November 10am-5pm.

Admission if Free.