19 October 2023

Lightbox lineup from Huddersfield-based Leach illuminates Compton Verney gallery’s Italian-inspired restaurant

The Brief

The enchanting Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park in Warwickshire comprises 120 sprawling acres of art, nature and creativity. Home to a rich selection of permanent and temporary fine art exhibits, Compton Verney’s collections, charming gardens, country trails, interactive workshops and family-focused activities draw in huge crowds all year round.

The “Sensing Naples” gallery is one of Compton Verney’s most popular permanent exhibits. Dedicated to the Golden Age of Neapolitan art, the collection showcases paintings, sculptures, furniture and artefacts crafted in the Italian city of Naples between 1600-1800.

Of course, no visitor experience would be complete without refreshment, so to cater for hungry art lovers, Compton Verney has an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. In the spring of 2023, the gallery looked to update the space with a modern facelift, whilst incorporating a nod to the Neapolitan influences at play in the gallery beyond.

Leach was approached by leading architectural interior design firm Sculpt, which was tasked with elevating the look and feel of the eatery alongside professional fitters Develco. Introducing new furniture, wooden wall panelling and a sleek new counter, the Sculpt crew were looking to add an impressive finishing touch with a series of backlit wall-mounted lightboxes. Step forward, Leach.

The Solution

Leach crafted nine individual lightboxes with printed graphics to meet the exact specifications of the gallery. The slimline 65mm deep lightboxes were supplied with a matt black finish, in keeping with the dark seating sourced by Sculpt. By contrast, five of the fabric graphics depicted a stunning print of “An Eruption of Vesuvius by Moonlight” by Pierre-Jacques Volaire in colourful pastel hues, the original of which is a standout piece at the very heart of the “Sensing Naples” exhibit. The gallery guide references the “dramatic contrast between two different illuminations – the fiery heat of the lava on the left, and the cool, pale moonlight on the right”, which made the print an ideal, eye-catching backdrop for the restaurant’s lightboxes to feature.

When installed, each frame was hung at a distance of 413mm apart to span the length of the restaurant walls. But although there was a physical break in the printed visuals, Leach’s team worked diligently to perfectly align the artwork across each of the five lightboxes, successfully evoking a sense of continuity and flow from one frame to the next. The remaining four lightboxes with standalone graphics occupied an adjacent wall and featured a selection of brightly coloured closeups of Neapolitan artefacts and paintings to complete the refreshed space.

Future-proofing the restaurant’s visual appeal, the adaptable nature of the lightboxes means that venues like Compton Verney can refresh their look as and when desired by simply swapping out the fabric graphics. This can be done in-house without the need for professional installers, keeping costs low and minimising the environmental impact of staying contemporary too.

Lasting impressions…

Reflecting on the project, Pav Rainu, Managing Director at Develco Limited said “Leach offers a reliable and efficient service with transparency between client and supplier; they have operated professionally and ensured we have received excellent service. The manner in which they have supplied their high-quality products has ensured that we are extremely impressed and will be using them in the future.”

Are you looking to capture the essence of art in a beautiful collection of lightboxes? Does your restaurant need a pretty pick-me-up? Contact Leach today to start planning your project.

Visit https://weareleach.com/ or call 01484 551200.