ARTWORK will be displayed in a former lead mine this week when an exhibition opens at a North-East museum.

In Search of a Hidden Landscape, by artist David Walker Barker, starts at Killhope, in Upper Weardale, County Durham, on Friday.

Paintings and other artwork will be on show down the mine and scattered around the jigger house, near the museum's landmark water wheel, in the mine office, lodging house and the forge. There will also be a display in the museum's spar box and mineral exhibition, where Mr Barker has created a large cabinet filled with specimens he has collected.

Museum manager Ian Forbes said: "Artworks have been produced for the specific locations over the past eight months and reflect the artist's long association with Killhope, the North Pennines landscape and its mining history.

"The result is an unusual and welcome event for the museum. By using the site in a creative way, the artist is enhancing the experience for our many visitors."

The exhibition, which is co-funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Leeds University, is open until the end of October.

Published: 24/05/2006