In collaboration with Goldmark, a major new exhibition of mid-20th century British Art from the neo-Romantics to the explosion of creativity unleashed by the end of World War II. Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate from 25 January - 6 April 2025. Admission free.
North Yorkshire Council’s Mercer Gallery, Harrogate, is to team up with Goldmark, one of the U.K.’s leading commercial galleries, in an ambitious exhibition. The two aim to showcase the best of the Mercer’s outstanding collection of pre and post war British art augmented by Goldmark Gallery’s own superb collection of works from that era which will be available for sale. This innovative approach will not only result in a visually stunning collaboration but also generate income for the Mercer - an increasing necessity in a time of budgetary stress for councils all over the country.
The exhibition’s title Look, Look Again! is taken from a quote by one of the most significant artists of the post war period - Prunella Clough. It suggests that visitors to the show will be met with the beautiful, the surprising, the exciting and the strange and if that is what they come expecting then they are unlikely to be disappointed. The show will hang chronologically starting with the pre war Neo-Romantics moving through the, often disconcerting wartime art to the absolute explosion - formally, chromatically, in scale and in gesture - of art in the post-war years.
Clough’s work will feature significantly in the show thanks to a magnificent donation to the Mercer by the, now deceased, Yorkshire based writer, artist and photographer David Morgan Rees. The Morgan Rees collection – which features 4 exceptional works by Clough – includes original paintings and sketches by the likes of Keith Vaughan, John Minton, Graham Sutherland, John Piper, Leonard Rosoman and John Craxton which will all find a home in the show. Yorkshire’s own Christopher P Wood will have a painting in the show 25 years after he first exhibited at the Mercer. Wood will also be showing his exciting new series of works based on Grimms’ Fairy Tales in a satellite exhibition which will run concurrently with Look, Look Again!.
Karen Southworth Curator of Harrogate Museums comments: “We were honoured that David Morgan Rees donated his exquisite collection to the Mercer. We were deeply saddened to hear the news of his recent death, he will be much missed by everyone at the gallery. The 26 works are the largest philanthropic gift we have ever received and they dovetail beautifully with the existing holdings in Harrogate’s Fine Art Collection and with the Roebuck collection at North Yorkshire’’s Craven Museum. Work from all three will be key to Look, Look Again! We are also extremely pleased to be working with Goldmark Gallery. Their own exceptional collection of 20th century art by such as Rigby Graham, Dennis Creffield and Michael Rothenstein is a perfect match for the Look, Look Again! narrative. They will enhance every aspect of the show. I am also really pleased to welcome Christopher P Wood back to the Mercer after too long a gap.”
Goldmark Gallery launched in the Rutland market town of Uppingham over 50 years ago. It is an art and ceramics gallery, a four times RTS nominated film producer, Pro Moviemaker Magazine’s Film Maker of the Year 2024, book publisher, printmaker and scholarship hub. Goldmark is a selling gallery of national and international significance with customers in 49 countries around the globe. Founder Mike Goldmark says: “The collection at The Mercer, like that of many public museums and galleries around the country, is full of outstanding works of art. We at Goldmark are delighted that we can contribute to such a stimulating concept as Look, Look Again! and to be working with the first class team at the Mercer. We hope this will be the first of many collaborations to enable the gallery’s collection to be seen by a wider audience.”
Indeed the audience for Look, Look Again! will be global as one of Goldmark’s contributions will be for its award winning film unit to shoot a tour of both Look, Look Again! and Wood’s Grimms’ Fairy Tale show which will be available free on demand 24/7 on goldmarkart.com There will be a dedicated web page at goldmarkart.com for information and purchasing. Christopher P Wood and the poet Ian Duhig will also be taking part in events to be staged at the Mercer during the shows’ runs.
Look, Look Again! and Christopher P Wood’s Grimms’ Fairy Tales with open at the Mercer Art Gallery Harrogate on 25 January 2025 and run from Tuesday to Sunday inclusive until 6 April. Admission to both exhibitions is free. For full details call the gallery direct on +(44) 01423 556188 or visit goldmarkart.com.
