Coutts Unveils Veronica Bailey photography collection in aid of Room to Read

Tonight, Coutts & Co is holding a private exhibition and charitable auction in aid of Room to Read to celebrate the launch of a unique set of photographs by Veronica Bailey. Last year, Coutts commissioned the Jerwood Photographic Award winning artist to produce a series of photographic images that “create a Coutts narrative, as well as visual intrigue”. 

During the course of the evening, clients will have the opportunity to purchase the images, with a literary theme, via silent auction. All proceeds going to Room to Read , which partners with communities throughout the developing world to establish schools, libraries and other educational infrastructure. The exhibition entitled “Hours of Devotion” will then be held on display at Coutts Head Office at 440 Strand from 2nd until 16th November.

Bailey explored over 1,000 books from the ‘old staff library’, kept in glass-fronted cabinets at 440 Strand. The display was first established in the 1850s but later, Thomas Coutts’ granddaughter, Angela Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906) who inherited the profits from her grandfather’s 50% share in the Bank, also donated a substantial number of her own books to the collection.

Veronica Bailey commented: “Once books have been handled, read and made part of a library, they retain an aura. I wanted these photographs to retain something of that aura, of the time as well as the people that read through the pages of these beautifully crafted books.”

The series title, ‘Hours of Devotion’, is taken from a book owned by Angela Burdett-Coutts before being donated to the staff library around the late 1890s. Originally written in German by C.C. Sturm, entitled ‘Reflections on the Works of God’, its contents promote ‘True Christianity and Family Worship’, reflecting Angela’s own religious beliefs.

Visiting the library regularly, Bailey developed a story using a selection of ten books published between 1800 and 1901. The artist found she could fashion a unique social and cultural portrait of Coutts, unconsciously revealed within a collection of books. She visualised the Coutts books as neo-gothic monuments, reflecting a wealth of architectural splendour and decoration; evidence of a wealthy and prosperous economy within the banking world in nineteenth century Britain.

The final ten books chosen represent the spirit of the time; significant change via war, social discontent, self-reflection, economic and technical advancement which influenced a collective shift in consciousness, through religion, politics, and culture.

Bailey’s “Hours of Devotion” stands as a bold visual epitaph to the power of the book, the reader, the collector of books, and the hidden treasures that can be found within.

Log on to www.Roomtoread.org for more information

For further media information contact:

Jo Thorne, Regional PR Manager, Coutts & Co on 0207 957 2650 or mobile 0776 6070 859 or e-mail joanna.thorne@coutts.com

Notes to Editors

Coutts is the international private banking arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is one of the world's largest banking groups.

Coutts manages the wealth of 100,000 high net worth clients worldwide through a network of over 40 offices globally.

The first Coutts regional office to be opened was Eton in 1961. Today, Coutts has regional offices in Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Eton, Guildford, Hampshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Tunbridge Wells.

Coutts offers clients a range of products and services covering sophisticated investment products together with expertise in trust and fiduciary services and UK tax and banking services.

Coutts & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Coutts & Co Registered in England No 36695Registered Office 440 Strand London WC2R 0QS.

Calls may be recorded.

www.coutts.com

Room to Read was founded on the belief that “World Change Starts with Educated Children” - and that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. The charity strives to provide children access to education, one child at a time, one school at a time, and one village at a time. Through partnerships with local communities they work to create educational opportunities and establish educational infrastructure. Their efforts are currently focussed in Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and South Africa - all countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. In addition to these countries, they continue to take on new countries and new projects each year.

Coutts and philanthropy

For over 300 years, Coutts has pursued a wide range of charitable interests. Most famously, Angela Burdett-Coutts was one of the great Victorian philanthropists.

Her good works included being amongst the first to support cancer research (she gave William Marsden an interest free loan to secure the land where the Royal Marsden Hospital stands today) and serving as President of the RSPCA.

Veronica Bailey

British artist Veronica Bailey was born in 1965 in London where she lives and works. She studied at the famous Central St Martins College of Art and Design and completed her MA studies in 2003 subsequently winning a Jerwood Photographic Award later that year.