A RARE exhibition of work by one of Britain's most distinguished contemporary painters is being shown in Kendal before an anticipated debut at key London galleries, reports Ellis Butcher.

Staff at the Abbot Hall Art Gallery and the Lakeland Arts Trust have proclaimed the forthcoming event "as the most important exhibition to come to Kendal since that of Lucien Freud" in 1998.

It will feature 50 paintings of portraits, stills and still-lives, which encompass every decade of Euan Uglow's career and represents the first major exhibition of his work since 1989 and the first since his death in August 2000 at the age of 68.

Edward King, director of the Lakeland Arts Trust, said: "Euan Uglow is one of the most important figurative painters of 20th century work in Britain.

"There aren't that many of his paintings in public places and of those 50, about half a dozen are coming from private collections, and of that half a dozen, probably half of them are not normally on show."

Arrange the exhibition, which will take place from July 7 to October 11, has involved William Darby, of the Browse and Darby Gallery, who handled Mr Uglow's work during his lifetime and gaining approval from the executors of his

estate.

Mr King explained the motivating factor behind attracting the exhibition to Kendal was to continue the theme of featuring key British figurative artists, such as Freud, Paula Rego and Stanley Spencer last

year.

"Euan Uglow, it seemed to us, was one of the key artists of this important group of figurative British artists that had not had a general public show in recent years, and particularly because he died in August 2000," said Mr King.

"Quite a number of his paintings are quite small, intimate and detailed and we felt the intimate rooms at the Abbot Hall are particularly suitable for showing his work."

The exhibition involves borrowing from 27 different private collections, including three in America, in addition to those from the British Arts Council; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull; the Jerwood Foundation; national museums and galleries in Wales; the Tate; and University of Liverpool.

"I am sure that Euan Uglow's work will form the subject of a major exhibition in London in the next few years and it will thus be a rare opportunity for the people of Kendal and the surrounding region to have a preview on their doorstep of this important artist.

"I would hope if people are prepared to travel over from America especially for the exhibition, then other people will make it," said Mr King.

Mr Uglow (pictured right) trained at Camberwell School of Art between 1948 and 1950, before receiving a scholarship to the Slade School of Art where he studied under William Coldstream.

Working directly from the model in his London Studio, his paintings are des-cribed as "unique and immediately recognisable" for their "meticulous technique" and "precise analytical observation."

The exhibition will focus on the paintings of the nude, the human head and still life, for which he was most well-known, although there will be some examples of painted landscapes of places he visited while travelling and teaching in Europe.

Mr King added: "I think his dealers,

his executors, accept the fact that it is a rather special place in which to see pictures. You can see paintings in a different light in a place like the Abbot Hall."

May 16, 2003 09:30