Volunteers to help out at Hockney display

Bigger Trees Near Warter, the largest produced by the Yorkshire-born artist, will be on display at the Ferens Gallery from Saturday, June 25, until September 18, as part of a tour of galleries supported by the Tate in London.

The mammoth painting – measuring 40ft high by 13ft wide – is made from 50 canvasses painted in 2007 and shows a scene close to the East Riding village of Warter.

To cope with the expected surge in visitors, the gallery has recruited 17 volunteers from the Young Friends of Ferens group, who will help to manage access to the painting and appreciation of it.

A Hull Council spokeswoman said: “The volunteers will act as Hockney specialists, invigilating the exhibition, providing information about the artist and his biggest work, and helping the public access the exhibition. Extra support from volunteers means that the Ferens can provide a great visitor experience whilst showing this high profile and popular exhibition.”

The gallery has had to go to great lengths – literally – to accommodate the painting.

The temporary exhibition space, at three metres high, was too small, so it will instead be placed in one of the permanent galleries, built in 1927, although even there a new wall has had to be built stretching up into the glass roof of gallery seven.

But even the most innovative arrangements could not meet the demands presented by the painting’s width.

As a result the painting will for the first time be shown in a new configuration, with two ends angled in towards the viewer.

Council heritage manager Simon Green said: “The Hockney painting is an artwork of enormous importance.

“I’m sure it will prove to be a highlight of this year’s cultural calendar in Hull.”