Exhibition for Festival takes look at King's Lynn from all angles
Lynn from all Angles, this year’s King’s Lynn Festival exhibition, features the work of two artists who have shared a fascination for Lynn, its architecture, river and big skies.
The exhibition, on show in the Fermoy Gallery in the Guildhall complex at King Street, marks the 60th anniversary of the death of acclaimed Lynn artist Walter Dexter for whom the town became his overwhelming subject.
His pictures have been loaned by private collectors and Norfolk Museums Service.
Cambridge-based artist, illustrator and calligrapher Jon Harris knows Lynn well and is an admirer of Dexter’s work. Mr Harris has produced 26 paintings and pen and ink drawings especially for the exhibition and they are for sale. He described them as “homage to Dexter”.
Mr Harris worked on his pictures from a wide variety of viewpoints ranging from the top of Clifton House Tower to the ferry access ramps on both sides of the River Ouse.
One of Dexter’s paintings is for sale. It is a view of the River Ouse from the Globe Hotel garden and was painted in 1947. It currently belongs to Lynn Festival.
Chairman Alison Croose said: “We have decided it should not live in a cupboard but be enjoyed. We are in viting sealed bids of a minimum of £1500 to raise funds for the festival.” The auction will end when theexhibition closes.
A second exhibition in the nearby Red Barn is “JWT – A Life Through A Lens”, a retrospective of the work of Lynn photographer Jim Tuck who died last year.
For many years he chronicled Lynn Festival and the changing face of the town. A selection of his work includes photographs, transparencies and digital images.
The free exhibitions run until August 4.
n King’s Lynn Festivals’ Service, marking the end of Festival Too and the start of the King’s Lynn Festival, was attended by a large congregation in the Minster on Sunday
The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James, visiting Lynn for the last time before his retirement at the end of the year, preached the sermon.
During the service the Marquess Townshend of Raynham Hall was installed as High Steward of King’s Lynn Minster.
The ancient office has been newly instituted for the church following its being granted the status of a Minster.
Charles George, the 8th Marquess Townshend also has the historic title, Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis.
The new role includes advancing the welfare of the Minster Church and to be its advocate in the community.
Chairwoman, Alison Croose, said the 68th King’s Lynn Festival had started with a three-hour peal of bells from St Nicholas’ Chapel which ended as audiences were arriving for the opening concert by the Halle Orchestra.
“We hope the busy festival programme will provide much pleasure and enrichment for local people as well as the many visitors from far and wide who return to the festival each year and boost West Norfolk’s tourism industry,” she said
