Art on the Dock
It all begins with an idea.
With over four million visitors a year, Liverpool’s historic Albert Dock is the most popular multi-purpose attraction outside of London. Originally opened in the mid-19th century, this iconic dockland once served as a vital vehicle for international trade, with its large warehouses storing the likes of cotton, brandy and tobacco from all over the world.
Following a gradual decline in use, the warehouses were closed down in 1972, but the buildings remained. During the 1980’s, they were lovingly restored into being the city’s main site for culture and entertainment. Central to this was the addition of the Tate Liverpool - a local branch of the UK’s national collection of art.
Over Thirty Years of Exhibits
It all begins with an idea.
The Tate Liverpool was opened in 1988 by the then-Prince, Charles III. The occasion was filmed for television by the British Broadcasting Corporation and drew lots of public interest.
As one of four outlets of the Tate institution (the other three being in London and Cornwall), Liverpool’s Tate was selected to display British art from 1500 onwards. Alongside this, it runs a number of other temporary exhibitions. One of the most recent of these is Journeys Through the Tate, which explores themes of migration relevant to the city’s history.
Liverpool Mountain
It all begins with an idea.
One of the most recognisable features of the Tate Liverpool is the vertical assembly of five colourful rocks that stands outside of it, on the dock.
This piece of artwork is called ‘Liverpool Mountain’ and it was created by the Swiss artist, Ugo Rondinone. It was installed in 2018 as a way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Liverpool being the European Capital of Culture, the 20th anniversary of Liverpool Biennial, and the 30th anniversary of the Tate Liverpool itself. It is inspired by ‘hoodoos’ - natural rock pyramids - and looks to defy gravity.
You can visit the Tate Liverpool and see Liverpool Mountain for yourself on day 4 of our Liverpool course.