World-renowned artist to exhibit

They have partnered with Art Fund, who have given £34 million over the past five years to help museums and galleries acquire works of art for their collection. Art Happens crowdfunding campaigns over the last month have ensured that iconic figurative art is being delivered to East Sussex.

Those who donated to the campaign will receive special rewards such as an ink stamp featuring a detail from one of Paula Rego’s nursery rhyme works, a The Boy Who Loved The Sea exhibition poster signed by the artist, and an exclusive screening of the BBC’s film Paula Rego: Secrets and Stories, followed by a Q&A with Paula Rego’s son Nick Willing, who directed and edited the film.

Paula Rego, now in her 80s, is best known as a painter of stories. Born and brought up by the coast in Portugal, she has had a fascination with the sea since her childhood.

Ships and sailors, pirates and mermaids, with all of their legendary and symbolic associations, are frequently seen in her work. The Boy who Loved the Sea is her most recent series of pictures and provides the starting point for this exhibition.

Exhibition Curator Colin Wiggins said: “A new series of work by Paula Rego is always a cause for celebration. ‘The Boy Who Loved the Sea’ is her most recent exploration of a subject that has always fascinated her and we are delighted that Dame Paula wishes that her work from this latest series should be given its first UK exhibition at the Jerwood Gallery with its unique seaside setting.”

Jerwood Gallery director Liz Gilmore added: “Crowdfunding is so important because it helps encourage conversation about the exhibition and awareness about the role of museums and galleries, including the true cost of exhibitions and the way in which people can be involved in the making of exhibitions. Most importantly, it’s enabled us to bring such an eminent artist as Paula to Hastings – bringing world class art and a world class artist to the town. None of it would have been possible without the public’s support.”

Keith Tyson and Quentin Blake will also be exhibiting this year to celebrate Jerwood Gallery’s fifth birthday.

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