A major exhibition of Stuart Sutcliffe’s art work will be shown at the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery and Museum.

This is the first major retrospective exhibition of Sutcliffe’s work in Liverpool for more than 40 years and will chart his artistic career from his school days until his death in the 1960s. Stuart Sutcliffe’s art career began at Liverpool School of Art where he met musician, John Lennon, in 1957.

He was persuaded by Lennon to buy a bass guitar after the sale of one of his paintings to John Moores – the patron of the Bi-Annual Exhibitions held at the Walker Art Gallery. Lennon and Sutcliffe formed a band, initially named Johnny and the Moon Dogs and later The Silver Beatles, until they both decided to rename the group The Beatles.

Sutcliffe later left the band to continue his studies at the Hamburg State School of Art. The exhibition includes 40 paintings from the Stuart Sutcliffe estate in the US, which charts the development of his style from his time at Prescot Grammar School, Liverpool Regional School of Art and the Hamburg State School of Art.

Sutcliffe’s work explores a form of Abstract Expressionism, an American post-World War Two movement that emphasised ‘spontaneity’ and ‘emotional intensity.’

University of Liverpool, Victoria Gallery & Museum

Click for Full details