If you have found yourself a little low on artistic inspiration recently, maybe a night slumbering among some of the world’s greatest paintings is just the tonic you need. This may not be an option open to the vast majority of us, but the National Gallery in London is offering the chance for one lucky winner to sleep with the greats.
A unique chance to slumber with the sublime
To celebrate the public reopening of the Sainsbury Wing after a two-year closure, and to mark its 200th anniversary, members of the public will have the first ever opportunity to sleep overnight in the National Gallery. A prize draw has been launched for anyone over the age of 18 who subscribes to the Gallery’s newsletter.
The winner will enjoy a VIP experience on Friday 9 May, as they are treated to dinner for two at Locatelli, the new National Gallery restaurant shortly to be reopened by the Michelin-starred chef Georgio Locatelli. They will then have an exclusive tour of the newly rehung Gallery exhibits, comprising over 1,000 artworks.
The refreshed collection must have kept framers in London busy, as it includes some works that have never been seen in public before, and a new broader historical context for familiar masterpieces. The winner will then be the first member of the public to sleep in a luxury bed located between the newly refurbished Sainsbury wing and the main gallery.
A private tour
Christine Riding, National Gallery director of collections and research, will be personally conducting the private tour of the gallery. She told The Guardian: “This is the first time that we have had such an exciting opportunity to rethink, and refresh, how we present one of the greatest art collections in the world, under one roof.”
She added: “Our visitors will discover anew some of the most famous and iconic works of art ever created, alongside personal favourites and recent discoveries and acquisitions.”
Upon waking, hopefully after a night of weird and wonderful dreams, the winner will breakfast on a luxury hamper, before being free to browse the gallery at their own pace before the public opening at 10am. The only problem might be that all the excitement makes dropping off for some quality sleep too difficult!
Sir Gabriele Finaldi, the director of the National Gallery, said: “Our bicentenary provides the perfect opportunity to consider a new way to tell the story of the incredible paintings in our collection, and include some exciting surprises.”
“So we feel it is fitting that through this prize draw one of our visitors should receive a first look at the newly transformed National Gallery and Sainsbury Wing and have these wonderful pictures to themselves for one special night.” The competition is open until Monday 28 April, and the winner will be randomly selected.
Further innovations to mark 200 year anniversary
The National Gallery is currently amidst a range of other events and exhibitions to mark its 200th anniversary. It has launched a new feature called the Imaginarium, which is an immersive digital experience that allows visitors to get close up and personal with some of the world’s most famous paintings.
Visitors will be able to feel as if they have stepped inside the world of the painting, and get a glimpse of the emotions, thoughts and experiences that might have driven the artist to create it.
John Stack, Director of Digital Innovation and Technology at the National Gallery, commented: “It’s important for the Gallery to deepen the engagement with the paintings that our remote visitors can experience.”
He added: “We know that slow looking has great benefits for deeper insights, emotional connections, and mindfulness and wellbeing. So, it makes perfect sense to us to use new technologies to bring that experience to visitors that can’t spend all the time they would like to with our paintings in person, to spark their imagination and inspire new perspectives.”
Other innovations to mark the 200th anniversary include a new Creative Learning Centre for children and families, and the publication of 200 catalogue entries containing in-depth biographical and technical information about each of the paintings. This information will include fresh and updated academic research that sheds new light on the artworks.