Experience the work of renowned Huddersfield artist David Blackburn
Travel from the Yorkshire Moors to the Australian outback through the stunning pastel works of renowned Huddersfield artist, the late David Blackburn MBE.
Where can I view the exhibition?
The David Blackburn: Works from the Studio Estate exhibition comes to Huddersfield Art Gallery, Princess Alexandra Walk, Huddersfield, from 2 March – 1 June, 2019.
What is the exhibition about?
This exhibition displays the career of an artist whose pastel landscapes of the Yorkshire Moors and the Australian outback “challenged traditional perceptions of the genre”.
Who is David Blackburn?
Born in Huddersfield in 1939, Blackburn initially studied textile design at Huddersfield School of Art before enrolling at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. Whilst his peers at the RCA, who included David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj, were focussing on Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism, Blackburn embraced landscape painting.
His degree show caught the attention of Sir Kenneth Clark, who purchased several drawings and became an advocate for his work. After graduation, Blackburn taught at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
In 1989, Blackburn returned to live in Huddersfield. In the late 1990s, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease but he continued to create works in the studio of his terraced house, and exhibited his work internationally until 2008.
He was subject of major retrospectives at the Yale Centre for British Art, Connecticut and Dulwich Picture Gallery, London. In the 2015 New Year Honours list Blackburn was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his outstanding services to art. He sadly died at the age of 76 in 2016.
In addition to his astonishing body of work, Blackburn is remembered as a mentor. He nurtured and encouraged a number of young local artists including the painter Maxwell Doig, who has selected the artworks for this exhibition.
Cllr Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Corporate, said:
“Kirklees has a fantastic and diverse cultural offer, with so much to experience across our towns and villages.
It’s even more exciting to see one of our very own celebrated for his amazing achievements in the art world and the impact his work had on others.
It’s important we celebrate the creative talent that comes from Kirklees and I urge everyone to come along and see this exciting exhibition for yourself.”
The exhibition is presented in association with Messum’s, London.
How can I find out more about the gallery
You can get address details by following this link