Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines: A Radical Art School

Delightful and colourful exhibition at Charleston Farmhouse looking at the lives and art of Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines.

The show looks at Morris and Lett-Haines's time founding and running the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing and examines their radical approach to creating and teaching art.

The first room sets the scene explaining how, once the school was established, Lett-Haines spent less time painting to run the school and teach. Morris continued to paint as well as being a leading horticulturalist. Comparisons are made with their contemporaries in the Bloomsbury group based at the venue.

The second room looks at their time before Suffolk in Paris and traveling in Europe. I think these were my favourite works in the show particularly two landscapes.

The next room concentrated on Lett-Haines work mainly surreal paintings and small sculpture made from found materials.

The show ended by looking at their protest work from environmental to political issues including some subtle still lives reflecting events at the time.

Closed 23 February 2025


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