GNM: Hancock's new exhibit gives voice to women of the ancient world Published on: 23 January 2024 Â鶹´«Ã½'s Great North Museum: Hancock is bridging the gap between past and present with a new exhibition, Voicing Objects. Voicing Objects This new display - curated by Dr Sally Waite, and Leah Wild - will reveal how historical objects can uphold or challenge patriarchy. Taking centre stage is a new moving image artwork created by Dr Turner in response to selected clay artefacts from the . These artefacts - including a terracotta figurine of a heavily draped woman and a terracotta womb dating back to the 4th century BCE - relate to women's lives in the ancient world, bringing voice to historically marginalised stories. Olivia has worked closely with Pippa Anderson, a clinical vocal rehabilitation expert, to create an improvised soundtrack, which explores the voice as a method for care, expression, and healing. The Shefton Collection is the most important collection of archaeological material from the Greek world in Northern England. The collection was founded by Professor Brian Shefton, who taught Greek archaeology at Â鶹´«Ã½ from 1955 until his retirement in 1984. One of the collection's main strengths is the extensive range of pottery covering all the significant periods of Greek history. Figurine of veiled woman from Shefton Collection Exciting collaboration Dr Olivia Turner, Artist and Associate Lecturer in Fine Art at Â鶹´«Ã½, said: "This exhibition has been an exciting collaboration between art and archaeology. I have been working with the Shefton Collection for a number of years - it has been a joy to work so closely with ancient objects, Sally Waite, and the Great North Museum: Hancock. I hope this artwork provides new ways of seeing, thinking and feeling about the stories of ancient women's lives and how they resonate with us today." Dr Sally Waite, Senior Lecturer in Greek Art and Archaeology at Â鶹´«Ã½, said: "The exhibition provides an opportunity to showcase the Shefton Collection in a provocative new way through conversation with contemporary art, and in doing so, it offers a bold reimagining of the artefacts in relation to women's voice." Malavika Anderson, Museum Manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said: "We are very excited to showcase this exhibition at our museum. The dialogue between Olivia Turner’s contemporary art and this rich archaeological collection is truly special – offering new layers of meaning and interpretation for our audiences. "Many of the items in the Shefton collection were acquired from the art market, so sadly, their provenance is unknown; this is why we are eager to support projects in the form of Voicing Objects and the wider research Â鶹´«Ã½ is undertaking to discover more about the history of the collection and how these objects from the ancient Mediterranean came to Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne in the 20th century." is on display at the Great North Museum: Hancock until 14 April 2024. Entry is free. For full details of opening times, events, and facilities available, please visit the website: Film Still from Voicing Objects film by Dr Olivia Turner Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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