Three paintings from the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum have been loaned out to two major exhibitions at renowned UK galleries.
‘If Mary Came to Greenham’ by Jacqueline Moreau has been collected for the Tate’s forthcoming exhibition ‘Women in Revolt’.
Elsewhere two paintings by Gavin Jantjes, a major South African-born artist, from his ‘Korabra’ series have been loaned to Sharjah Art Foundation for Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! This major retrospective exhibition of his work will also be shown at London’s Whitechapel Gallery next year.
The loans to such major art institutions are indicative of how “significant” the Herbert’s collections are, according to Curatorial Manager Martin Roberts.
“We’re so pleased to support these major institutions with loans from our collections,” Martin said.
“It’s just fantastic to see items from our collection displayed alongside world famous artworks in prestigious exhibitions like these.
“It goes a long way to showing just how significant some of our collections are. It is also an excellent way to promote the Herbert and its collection, as well as allowing us to reach new audiences from across the country and internationally.”
As for the works themselves, ‘If Mary Came to Greenham’ was given to the Herbert by the Estate of Jacqueline Morreau through the Contemporary Art Society, in 2019. This painting was one of four works by Morreau which were chosen for the Herbert’s collection by Martin and Brian Scholes, who were invited to visit the artist’s family home to select from a large number of her paintings.
Born in Wisconsin, USA in 1929 Jacqueline Morreau relocated with her family to Los Angeles in her teens. She studied art at the Jepson Art institute and spent time living in France and New York before returning to California in 1951, where she trained in medical illustration.
In 1971 Morreau moved to London with her husband and children and began to paint again, gaining recognition for her work and becoming an important figure in the British women’s art movement. She died in 2016.
Women in Revolt will see Morreau’s painting sit alongside over 100 women artists working in the UK in what is described as “a major survey of feminist art”.
Meanwhile the two paintings by Gavin Jantjes have their origins here in Coventry. Part of the Korabra series which tackles the subject of the Transatlantic slave trade, they were made in 1986 following a 3-month residency at the Coventry West Indian Association Club in Spon Street.
Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free will be shown at the Whitechapel Gallery in London next year.