National Gallery hosts first ever sleepover for lucky winner
A Sheffield based artist and writer is the first person to spend a night tucked up in a bed in London’s National Gallery.
Gillian Phillips went to sleep under the watchful gaze of some of the world’s greatest paintings. She won the unique opportunity following a recent prize draw organised by The National Gallery.
She was randomly selected from the Gallery’s biggest-ever prize draw and is the first member of the public to enter the Sainsbury Wing following its two-year closure.
Work at the location has included the biggest rehang of the Gallery’s entire collection – C C Land: The Wonder of Art.
Gillian is a mother and grandmother of 10 children (aged between two to 20 years) and is originally from London but now lives near the Peak District in Sheffield.
‘I feel it is a great privilege to receive the opportunity to Wake up to the Wonder of Art,’ says Gillian following her stay at The National Gallery last Friday.
‘I have loved the National Gallery since I was a child. And though I no longer live in London I still consider the Gallery to be my art home and have its pictures sitting in my mind all the time.’
Rewind the clock some 20 years and Gillian was working as a freelance lecturer which would see her taking children around the National Gallery. She also took part in drawing classes inspired by the Gallery’s pictures.
Reshaping the National Gallery for its third century
More than 20,000 people entered the draw for a chance to sleep in a bed on the ‘bridge’ that connects the newly refurbished Sainsbury Wing with the rest of the Gallery. It was a first for a British art gallery.
The experience included a chance to enjoy dinner at Locatelli, the National Gallery’s new restaurant, by Michelin-star chef Georgio Locatelli, in partnership with Searcy’s.
She also received her own private, personal tour of C C Land: The Wonder of Art with the National Gallery’s Director of Collections and Research, Christine Riding.
She became the first person to enjoy breakfast in Locatelli’s new restaurant and had the Gallery all to herself to explore ahead of the first public opening of the Sainsbury Wing.
Gillian Phillips settling in for the night at the National Gallery. Image: © The National Gallery, London.
As she made her way through the Gallery, Gillian had the opportunity to view more than 1000 works of art which trace the development of painting in the Western European tradition from the 13th to 20th centuries.
The work included iconic masterpieces and paintings which have never previously been seen in the National Gallery.
The National Gallery says the Sainsbury Wing is transformed following more than two years of building works which has reshaped the National Gallery for its third century – and the next generation of visitors.
