Gallagher & Turner to Showcase Selected Works by Artist Matt Rugg

Gallagher & Turner are delighted to showcase selected works on paper by British abstract artist and teacher, Matt Rugg (1935 – 2020). The exhibition runs from 13th Octobe to 18th November in conjunction with a major retrospective at the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle, Matt Rugg: Connecting Form, 23rd September 2023 – 13th January 2024, and is co-curated by Harriet Sutcliffe and presented in partnership with the Matt Rugg Estate.

Matt Rugg, born in Somerset, was taught by Victor Pasmore and Richard Hamilton at King’s College, Newcastle (from 1956), subsequently working alongside them as tutor, before moving on to Chelsea in 1965, and establishing a studio in South London. As a teacher at Chelsea School of Art, he influenced painters and sculptors, going beyond Pasmore’s Basic Form syllabus, and encouraging students to discover their own materials and ways of making.

Matt’s first solo shows, featuring constructions in wood, and later in metal, at the New Art Centre in London in 1963, 1966 and 1970, won critical acclaim, leading to further international solo exhibitions, and his work being acquired for public collections including the Tate Gallery, the British Council, the Arts Council, the Contemporary Arts Society, and regional collections. In 1979 Rugg’s prize in the 2nd National Exhibition hosted by Tolly Cobbold/Eastern Arts, signalled a change of direction in his work, constructing in galvanised wire and sheet metal in linear form.

Rugg’s training as a painter, influenced his approach to drawing and sculpture, building up layers of translucency and depth from the ground upwards, and often working back into his drawings over a period of time. There is also a symbiotic relationship between Rugg’s drawings and sculpture, as forms were sometimes sprayed through and drawn around, working in conversation with each other as the working process took shape.

This exhibition features 16 of his drawings, with some larger works online and viewable by appointment. Some are on handmade paper, mixing charcoal, soft pastel, oil pastel, conte crayon and graphite. Many of these have not been exhibited before. These works on paper offer a window into Rugg’s intuitive exploration of material, layering, colour, pattern and form, continuing to inspire artists and art lovers alike. All works are available for sale.

For more information visit www.gallagherandturner.co.uk.

Image: Matt Rugg, Untitled, Gouache & pastel on paper, 76.2 x 57cm, Courtesy of Gallagher & Turner