Maria Balshaw reveals her favourite places, buildings, books and more
Maria Balshaw has been Director of Tate since 2017. Previously, she held the same role at the Whitworth and Manchester City Galleries, and she was also the Director of Culture for Manchester City Council. Having been awarded a CBE for services to the arts in 2015, Balshaw is now Chair of the National Museum Directors’ Council and a Trustee of the Factory International Board in Manchester. She is also a member of the Women Leaders in Museums Network and the Bizot group of leading global museums.
In June, Balshaw published Gathering of Strangers: Why Museums Matter (Demy Hardback, £18.99) – a thought-provoking exploration of the transformative role of museums and art in society today.
My auntie Maureen bought me the soundtrack to Abba: the Movie for Christmas when I was seven. I played it so much I wore it out; the lyrics to every song are still etched in my brain.
The book that influenced me the most is Jazz by Toni Morrison (above). This was the central text for my PhD and it led me to James Van Der Zee’s photography and the art of the Harlem Renaissance, which has been a life-long influence.
I’m currently watching House of the Dragon (above). Since childhood, I have loved fantasy and sci-fi novels, and the escapism of this lavish series is brilliant. Series two focuses on Rhaenyra, Alicent and many other powerful women who appear centre-stage and on the backs of dragons.
As you might imagine, the four Tate galleries have a special place in my heart. I also love the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, outside of Copenhagen, for its perfect balance between inside and outside views. I love Brunswick House in Vauxhall (below). Jackson Boxer’s cooking is so inventive, and the bar is exactly where I want to hunker down with friends after work.
The best exhibition I’ve ever seenis impossible to answer! This year, I would single out the Venice Biennale curated by Adriano Pedroso. It presents a dynamic global South and an indigenous world view.
I travel around the world for work and collect examples of local textiles, both historic and contemporary. Most recently, I bought a gorgeous Oaxacan scarf, woven on a back-strap loom, from Onora in Mexico City. I also have some wonderful indigo ikat pieces from my travels in West Africa.
My favourite place on Earth is Dungeness. I love the bleak natural beauty of the shingle shoreline, and Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, with his renowned garden, is a place of pilgrimage for me.
My favourite building is the Whitworth gallery in Manchester, with its beautiful extension into the park created by MUMA architects and the art garden made by Sarah Price (as the former director of the gallery, I am biased, of course).
This year, I’m looking forward tothe 1980s photography exhibition at Tate Britain; it is my formative decade and I can’t wait to see this tumultuous period through the lens of some of Britain’s most brilliant photographers.
If I could bring back one trend it would be legwarmers. I am a child of the 1980s and also get very cold feet and legs.
