'The British Are Coming!'
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 19, 2010) - The British are coming to our UK, as some of the United Kingdom's painters invade the University of Kentucky in a show at the Art Museum at the University of Kentucky. "The British are Coming! Discover the New English Art Club" is an exhibition of a group of contemporary British artists who retain a dedication to traditional, figurative painting, something unusual in today’s art world. The exhibition will run from Jan. 24 through April 11 at the museum.
"The British Are Coming!" showcases portraits, interior scenes and landscapes created with bravura brushwork and rich colors by such artists as Tom Coates, Jane Corsellis, Ken Howard, Sir Thomas Munnings, John Ward and Peter Worth. These artists will be featured alongside several examples of historical work.
The New English Art Club, little known in this country, was originally established over 120 years ago by John Singer Sargent and others who were influenced by radical ideas coming out of France—notably Naturalism and Impressionism. Rejected by the Royal Academy, these artists staged the most daring exhibitions of the late 19th century. The club continues to be a vital part of the British art scene today.
The exhibition related full-color catalogue includes a foreword by Angus Trumble, curator of paintings and sculpture at the Yale Center for British Art, and Stephanie Pevec, exhibition curator.
"The British Are Coming! Discover the New English Art Club" is one of an ongoing series at the Art Museum at the University of Kentucky that brings together the best in private regional collections and makes the art available for public viewing, often for the first time.
This exhibition at the university's museum was made possible with support from the Friends of the Art Museum, season sponsors at the museum, and backing from an anonymous supporter, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Insight Media, the Keeneland Foundation, Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance, Meridian-Chiles, Westfield Group and PNC. Additionally, Hilliard Lyons and Gary and Meg Detraz provided support for the exhibition's opening event.
"The British Are Coming!" will be open to the public noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and noon to 8 p.m. Friday. Admission price is $8 for the general public, $5 for senior citizens, and free for UK faculty/staff/students. Admission is free to all from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday nights. The Art Museum at the University of Kentucky is located at Rose Street and Euclid Avenue.