Art critics attack 'Tate of the North' over Beryl Cook exhibition

The director of the Baltic Centre of Contemporary Art in Gateshead was this weekend forced to apologise to staff for his "management style". But the gallery's problems go much further than that - it is simply too highbrow, say critics.

To pull in more "ordinary" people, director Peter Doroshenko, an American, has curated an exhibition by Beryl Cook, famous for her depictions of portly, fun-loving ladies and gentlemen of a certain age.

That decision, however, has drawn fire from art critics who look down their noses at artists like Cook.

Regional arts expert William Varley is a scathing critic of The Baltic's artistic policy. He said: "They must be panic-stricken at the lack of numbers, so they swing from remote concepts with no artistic reward to Beryl Cook. Showing Beryl Cook flies in the face of everything. Next thing they will be showing that Scotsman with the Italian name [Jack Vettriano]."

Yesterday The Independent reported how The Baltic's director had apologised to staff for his management style. Insiders have complained about the high turnover of staff.

The gallery, a converted flourmill which has no permanent collection, was designed to be a "Tate of the North" when it opened in 2002. While visitor numbers are higher than expected, the problem is that locals don't visit.

The Baltic's finance director, Andrew Lovett, confessed: "I don't think Gateshead people sufficiently love The Baltic. They might think it's more for visitors than for them, and that makes it more difficult."

Mike von Joel, editor of the quarterly State of Art, added: "A lot of Geordies think what is being shown is a load of rubbish. It's not for them. Let's face it, they are more interested in football. People who are interested in local arts complain that everything shown they can see in London, so they also feel short-changed."