George Always I, portrait of George Melly by Maggi Hambling _220
A NEW exhibition coming to Liverpool early next year will feature a series of intimate portraits of George Melly, painted shortly before his death.
George Always: Portraits of George Melly by Maggi Hambling celebrates this most colourful son of Liverpool: jazz performer, surrealist, comic, raconteur, critic and author – “Good Time George”.
The exhibition of more than 20 paintings and drawings, most previously unseen by the public, runs from February 27 until May 31 at the Walker Art Gallery.
George came from a well-known Liverpool family and remained a frequent visitor to the city throughout his life, actively supporting the arts.
Maggi Hambling and George Melly were the closest of friends. He joked she would go down in art history as Maggi (Coffin) Hambling, referring to her practice of drawing and painting people on their deathbeds and afterwards.
The exhibition features oil paintings – including a triple portrait from 1998 on loan from the National Portrait Gallery – and 12 lively ink drawings, the last series of drawings for which George posed.
Two works – George Always, I and George Always, II – are loans from The Ivy Restaurant in London.
A towering new waterfall triptych, inspired by George’s favourite colours, will be among works on show for the first time.
Maggi’s responses in paint to George’s death, in July, 2007, are far from morbid. They are tender, challenging, serious and funny. These highly original and imaginative portraits confront the question of death head-on.
George had a strong personal attachment to Sudley House, an art gallery run by National Museums Liverpool in the south of the city, which he helped to publicise. As a child, he and his family would visit the wealthy occupant, Emma Holt, who later gave the house and its important art collection to the people of Liverpool.
Maggi says: “George often makes a grand appearance in my dreams. I still hear him laugh, tell jokes and sing. From wherever he may be . . .”
