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The Hayward Gallery, one of the
largest, purpose-built galleries in Britain, forms part of
the South Bank Centre.
Named after Sir Isaac Hayward,
one-time leader of the LCC, the gallery was designed by the
GLC Department of Architecture, led by Geoffrey Horsefall.
Following its opening in October 1968, the gallery
become one of London's main venues for large art exhibitions.
The gallery has no permanent
exhibition but hosts temporary shows of contemporary and historical
art, often the work of British contemporary artists.
Every five years the gallery selects and organises The British
Art Show, a large-scale exhibition showing strength and vitality
of British Art.
Admission charges to the temporary
exhibitions high, justified by the class of the exhibits.
The buildings that developed
around the
Royal Festival Hall in the latter half of the 20th
century has been criticised, and the Hayward Gallery, with
its grey concrete facade, is considered too stark. In
1999 the architect Rick Mather was appointed to re-plan the
area, with plans to to demolish many of the buildings of the
South Bank, including the Hayward Gallery, and replace them
with a new film complex, hopefully to include a new Museum
of Moving Image now that the popular original was closed.
This popular gallery often attracts
large crowds and long queues may build up at the weekends.
Admission charge
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