Events
New Special Exhibition of British Sporting Art Coming to The Gibbes Museum of Art
The Gibbes Museum of Art on Monday announced a new special exhibition called Charleston Collects: British Sporting Art from the Penkhus Collection. This exhibition is the second in the Charleston Collects series and will be on display February 7th through June 28th.
“The Charleston Collects Series aims to highlight Lowcountry residents’ fine art collections, and we are grateful to Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Martha Penkhus for giving us the opportunity to showcase their personal collection at the Gibbes,” Angela Mack, executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art, said. “We strive to make connections between Charleston and the wider art world and the paintings presented in this exhibition help us to meet that goal.”
The Penkhus’s journey collecting fine art started in 1986 when they purchased a portrait of the famous English racing horse Cotherstone, by John Frederick Herring, Sr. (British, 1795–1865). Their passion for British sporting art and culture blossomed, leading them to build a first-rate collection of animal and sporting paintings. The works provide glimpses into the English countryside, its occupants and their activities from 1800 to present day. The collection includes paintings by notable English painters including Frederick Herring, Sr., Harry Hall (British, 1814–1882), James Ward (British, 1769–1859), Sir Alfred Munnings (British, 1878–1959) and many more.
To coincide with the opening of the exhibition, the Gibbes will bring together experts to discuss British Sporting Art and the Penkhus Collection. Guided tours of the collection led by experts, scholars, and artists will be available to visitors of the museum, including a members tour and reception featuring Turner Reuter, Jr., owner of Red Fox Fine Art in Middleburg, VA, on February 12th at 2:30 pm. There will also be an artist talk with Sporting Arts painter Joseph Sulkowski on Monday, May 4th at 1 pm.
For more information on the exhibition, visit the official website.