The Rooms today opened Inner Works: Selections from the People's Collection , a permanent exhibition from The Rooms' collection of more than 8,000 artworks representing local, national and international artists.

Inner Works presents significant works from The Rooms, and thereby the province's, permanent artwork collection, offering visitors of all ages encounters with art and self-directed exploration. Displayed works are elemental to the continuing stories of the province's collections and the visual arts in Newfoundland and Labrador; included are artists such as Anne Meredith Barry, Peter Bell, David Blackwood, Christopher Pratt, Mary Pratt, Helen Parsons Shepherd, Reginald Shepherd, Gerald Squires, as well as Don Wright.

Although a permanent exhibition, Inner Works will feature an alternating selection of works, allowing visitors to look forward to a new and varied art gallery experience as they visit The Rooms throughout the year. The exhibition will also feature self-guided tours using iPods that will be available at The Rooms Admission desk. The iPod tours will allow visitors to hear commentary from artists and curators in their own words, while exploring the exhibition at their own pace.

"We have so many incredible works in our collection: historical pieces, contemporary art, portraiture, figurative work, landscapes, sculpture, to name just a few. And now we have a permanent platform to showcase the province's largest collection of artwork on an ongoing basis, this exhibition is very exciting," commented Sheila Perry, Director of The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery Division.

In addition to The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery collection that was initiated in 2003, The Rooms holds the Memorial University of Newfoundland Collection that was started in 1961, and the Art Bank Collection of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, making The Rooms responsible for the largest and most diverse collection of Newfoundland and Labrador visual art.

Inner Works: Selections from the People's Collection officially opens at The Rooms today, Thursday, November 4, with a public reception taking place at The Rooms at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

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Media contact:

Chrysta Collins
Communications Officer
The Rooms
709-757-8091, 709-691-5681
chrystacollins@therooms.ca