Masterpieces in Miniature: The 2021 Model Art Gallery

Delightful exhibition at Pallant House Gallery of miniature art galleries.

Pallant House has had a miniature gallery from 1934 since 1997 which was commissioned by Sydney Burney. He asked 34 contemporary artists including Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and Augustus John to paint miniature works of art. I’ve always loved this piece partly because I love the artists he chose but also because who can resist a doll’s house!

The gallery commissioned a new version for the Millennium with the model made by St John Wilson who had designed the new wing of the gallery and they commissioned miniatures from their artist friends, many of whom they had designed studios for. They include Frank Auerbach, Peter Blake and Prunella Clough.

Finally during the first lockdown they commissioned Wright & Wright architects who are working on proposals for a new Collections Centre for the gallery and works from 31 contemporary artists including Grayson Perry, Edmund de Waal and Maggi Hambling. Also movingly it includes a miniature print from Khadija Saye’s ‘Crown’ series, the only work from the series not destroyed in the Grenfell Tower fire in which she died.

Closes Spring 2022

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