A major new exhibition of paintings and drawings by leading contemporary artist Jules George is opening at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard this month supported by an award of £15,000 from our National Lottery funded Grants for the arts scheme.
A major new exhibition of paintings and drawings by leading contemporary artist Jules George is opening at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard this month supported by an award of £15,000 from our National Lottery funded Grants for the arts scheme.
Weighing Anchor: an artist at sea onboard HMS Argyll & Tireless is an extensive body of artwork created after Jules George was granted rare access to join Type 23 frigate HM Argyll and submarine HMS Tireless whilst they were on active deployment.
The artist, renowned for his work as an officially sanctioned war artist in Afghanistan, travelled with the crews to the Falklands, the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. Jules captured the crews in their everyday work, from engine room to bridge, joining helicopter pilots and Marine boarding parties to explore every part of life onboard.
The paintings and drawings - over 60 in this exhibition - contrast the wide-open seascapes of the Falklands with the close inter-personal relationship between crew and boat in the submarine. The series of paintings recording Jules' deployment to the Falkland Islands also makes connections with both 1982 and the earlier battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914.
Jules George has exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally. He visited Afghanistan in February 2010 and was embedded with 2 Yorks (Green Howards) part of 11 Light Brigade, who were located in various bases around Helmand Province. During his trip he filled 5 sketchbooks, attempting to paint and draw everything that he saw or experienced, whether it be camp life, individual portraits, helicopters, skirmishes or the Afghan landscape.
Jules believes it is important to carry on the British tradition of artists at war, especially now that the modern world is dominated by mass communication whereby film and photos from the battlefield can be viewed around the world in minutes. He also likes to paint portraits and the coastline of Suffolk in particular.
Victoria Ingles, Curator, National Museum of the Royal Navy, said: 'People are familiar with war art but seeing this insight into peacetime activity shows a very different perspective. This vital work undertaken by the Royal Navy often goes unacknowledged as service personnel operate in a closed environment, out of the public spotlight.
'We are very grateful to the Arts Council for their generous funding of the exhibition and we are thrilled to work with a contemporary artist of Jules' calibre.'
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England, said: 'I can't imagine a more fitting venue for this new exhibition of work by Jules George and I hope the many visitors to - and serving personnel stationed at - Portsmouth Historic Dockyard enjoy this unique perspective on life in the modern navy.'
Weighing Anchor: an artist at sea onboard HMS Argyll & Tireless opens at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on 11 December 2014 and runs until 8 March 2015. For more information visit http://www.nmrn.org.uk/news-events/events/special-exhibition-weighing-anchor-artist-sea-board-hms-argyll-tireless.
You can find out more information about Grants for the arts and the projects we support at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-funding/apply-for-funding/grants-for-the-arts/