Bill Jacklin : Monotypes

Portland Gallery is delighted to be working directly with Bill Jacklin in presenting a selection of recent monotypes. The timing of our presentation is designed to echo the publication of a major new book, Bill Jacklin Monotypes, by Nancy Campbell and published by The Royal Academy of Arts. The book, which features over 75 illustrations, is a detailed survey of this important part of Jacklin’s practice, and contains an informative interview with the artist. In a wide-ranging conversation, Jacklin describes how the new stimuli of moving to America in 1985 energised his work, as well as discussing his use of monotype and how he revels in its immediacy and expressiveness as a medium.

Jacklin is one of Britain’s most revered figurative artists. His atmospheric paintings, drawings and prints are instantly recognisable despite the evolution of his work over a near 60 year career. Jacklin studied at the Royal College of Art, London from 1964 to 1967. Between 1967 and 1975, he taught at Chelsea School of Art, Hornsey and Royal Colleges of Art and at schools in Kent and Surrey. For almost 40 years, until the gallery’s closure in May this year, Jacklin was represented by Marlborough Fine Art. He has undertaken many commissions, notably from the Bank of England, the Ivy Restaurant, De Beers and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for the North Terminal of Washington National Airport. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1991 and in 1993 was Official Artist-in-Residence for the British Council in Hong Kong. Jacklin presently lives and works in Rhode Island, USA.

Jacklin has exhibited internationally at public galleries, commercial spaces and major art fairs. His print work has been shown at Tate Britain, The Royal Academy of Arts and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (the latter two institutions will hold book launches for the current publication). His work can be found in many significant public collections including; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Museum of Modern Art (New York), Royal Academy of Arts (London), Tate Gallery, (London), Victoria and Albert Museum (London), Whitney Museum of American Art (New York) and Yale Center for British Art (New Haven, Connecticut).