The exhibition is the culmination of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death.
(1943). Oil on canvas, Purchased from the artist, 1944. © Touchstones
Rochdale, Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service
It has been announced that the MK Gallery will present L.S. Lowry: The Theatre of Life,the first major exhibition dedicated to the beloved British artist Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976) in over 13 years.
This new show will bring together over 140 paintings and drawings, including rare loans from The Lowry, Tate, Royal Academy of Arts and private collections. A highlight is A Football Match (1932), on display at a public gallery for the first time in almost 85 years. Despite being a lifelong football fan, Lowry rarely painted the game itself, capturing this mid-match scene amid church spires and billowing factories. Other rarely exhibited works on show include Sunday Afternoon (1957) and Beach Scene (1947), both from private collections.
L.S. Lowry: The Theatre of Life offers a rare overview of his career, bringing together lesser-known aspects of his practice, including pencil and charcoal studies from the antique and life, detailed urban drawings, and works in pastel and watercolour that reveal thebreadth of his practice. This display marks the culmination of a yearlong celebration honouring fifty years since the artist’s death. Other events include BBC’s recent critically acclaimed documentary L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes featuring Ian McKellen, available on BBC iPlayer, along with exhibitions organised in Berwick and Cheshire.
To book tickets visit: https://mkgallery.org/event/l-s-lowry-the-battle-of-life/