Rye’s art followers turned out in force on Saturday 5 June to attend the opening of a special exhibition of the early work of the late Geoffrey Bagley.
The exhibition featured work from the War period when Geoff Bagley was working for the Canadian Government.
Pat Field of the Turtle Gallery writes “It would have been unsurprising to hear that the Geoffrey Bagley Exhibition would have interested a great many Rye people, who either knew him or had read his books on Rye, or had seen his more recent work in the Stormont Gallery, or knew of his strong connection with the Museum, let alone his three Mayorships. Et al.
Turtle Gallery proprietor Pat Field (right) explains a point about Geoffrey Bagley’s pictures to one of the exhibitions earliest visitors.
Indeed the Private View was rather like a good Rye drinks party. Most everyone knew everyone else, and the gallery was jam-packed.
But from then on, how wonderful to find his work appealing to people of every age and from every part of this country and abroad. These 1930s graphics have such strength and colour and variety of form and content. The word “historic” is bandied about far too freely these days, but in this instance the word fits the case. They are bound to appeal to a much wider audience.
And it has been very interesting to discover how many young people actually know a barrage balloon when they see one, or have heard of Imperial Airways! Conversations too, with exmerchant seamen who had themselves been on the North Atlantic run protecting our supplies. Wonderful to have something so completely different on my walls.”
From “Rye’s Own” July 2004
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