National Portrait Gallery to review roster
The National Portrait Gallery is reviewing its roster and will ask the groups on its existing list to repitch.
The gallery’s marketing manager Jonathan Rowbotham says new groups will get a chance to compete against listed consultancies in ‘a fair and open process’.
Rowbotham says he is unsure if the roster will be expanded, but says the gallery will approach some design groups that have carried out ‘admirable work’ with other museums. All groups will first be invited to submit a portfolio of work, before a shortlist is made and consultancies invited to pitch when the process starts in earnest in the autumn.
The current roster, last reviewed in 2006, includes NB Studio, Rufus Leonard, Rose Innes Associates, True North (whose work is pictured), Price Watkins Design and Thomas Manss & Company.
Whoa, having taken a look at their sites, I actually consider all of these apart from NB Studio to be the proponents of some pretty poor quality work.
The general vibe I got off this… pretty mealy mouthed corporate tail-chasing all round, packed with marketing jargon and ‘brand value’, and some seriously suspect layout. If I saw any of this in a degree show, I’d find the tutor and shout at them.