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Refuge: The Art of Belonging
15 February 2019 - 29 June 2019
Free – £7.70
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal
Inspired by the work of multi-media artist Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948), who settled in Ambleside, Cumbria after coming to Britain as a refugee, this exhibition tells the story of artists who entered Britain between 1933 and 1945 as a result of Nazi occupation. Displayed over three galleries, the exhibition examines displacement and the adoption of new landscapes through works that explore the lived experienced of migration, internment and subsequent refuge and, sometimes, citizenship.
The selected artworks explore the personal experiences of each featured artist and were all created either during the artists migrant journey, or after coming to Britain. As a result, they will tell personal, poignant, emotive, and, sometimes, challenging stories of displacement, migration, home and belonging.
Drawing on the Lakeland Arts collection, the exhibition will include works by Kurt Schwitters, Hilde Goldschmidt, Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, Willy Tirr, Lucian Freud, and Frank Auerbach.
There will also be a number of loans from both public and private collections, including the Hatton Gallery and National Galleries of Scotland. Featured artists include Fred Ulhman, Jankel Adler, and Oskar Kokoschka.
A community project exploring the lives of refugees living in Cumbria, will be shown alongside the historic artworks.
10.30am – 5.00pm