Ref. 29386-100ART expert Richard Morphet has played a key role in developing Swindon's internationally renowned modern art collection and is now calling for it to be displayed in a grander space.

The former Tate Gallery curator has been advising Swindon Council on what paintings to buy since the late 1960s.

On Friday Mr Morphet,who eventually became the keeper of the Modern Collection at the Tate, will give a special talk to mark the 40th birthday of Swindon's first and only public art gallery.

The 65-year-old, who is now retired and lives in London, said: "The sheer quality of the collection is remarkable for a town of Swindon's size.

"Cities like Birmingham and Liverpool are much bigger and wealthier and therefore their collections reflect this.

"I've tried to make sure, on the modest amounts of money available, the collection should give an idea of the exciting range in British art.

"The collection brings out the extraordinary contrasts.

"Some pieces of art become more valued in later generations than in their own day.

"Ben Nicholson's Composition In Black and White, which is currently on tour in Japan, is a good example of this. People said a child could have painted it but that is not the case, it is extremely sophisticated."

Pieces by Henry Moore, Lucien Freud and LS Lowry are also among the collection's 300 works, which span the last 100 years.

The collection grew from an initial gift of several modern British paintings from a private collector, HJP Bomford, from Aldbourne, in the mid-1940s, which were first displayed at the civic offices.

It found a permanent home in 1964 when the museum in Bath Road was extended.

A new exhibition features 40 selected works that will be on display there until October. But the collection is not on permanent display.

Mr Morphet hopes a larger space can be found for the paintings.

"I hope to highlight the importance of having major works in Swindon so people can have direct experience of art of national importance," he said.

"Also, it's very important the collection should be housed in a part of town that has more going on than the Bath Road area.

"It should be somewhere people can drop in while they are in the middle of doing other things.

"Hopefully, any new gallery space will be close to places where people can relax in cafes."

Mr Morphet's vision is similar to plans for a cultural quarter for Swindon with a gallery close to a flagship central library.

Swindon Council is still eyeing up the Wyvern Theatre car park for this project.

Mr Morphet will talk at 7.30pm at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery in Bath Road.

Tickets are £4 or £3 concessions. To find out more call 01793 466556.

Bhavani Vadde