Norman Ackroyd – Notes on Water, Eames Fine Art, Bermondsey, London SE1, September 2024 – Another beautiful Norman Ackroyd exhibition at Eames Gallery, I was really looking forward to seeing this one, , as i;ve said before, I make no secret of my admiration of his work, my love of the art and atmosphere of Norman Ackroyd, his light. His birds can be heard in your head, you can really smell that sea, feel those islands, feel the swell, the sense of being on that boat, on that water…
The latest show, Notes on Water, opened last week, Norman’s prints are always glorious, I was looking forward to combining this one with Tracey Emin’s opening at White Cube, went especially early so I could catch both (both galleries are on the same street). I knew his show would be wonderful, his shows always are, we’ve covered the exhibitions numerous times on these pages Norman has been one of my favourite artists for a long long time. What I wasn’t expecting, about an hour before I set off to the gallery, was the sad news that Norman Ackroyd had passed away a couple of days ago. He was 86, he had lived full and productive life, produced a brilliant body of work, shared so much of what he saw, captured so much of it in a way almost nobody else could have done, his islands were and are special places, his Scottish islands that reminded me so much of my home of Anglesey, I loved the chats we had about islands. His show tonight was a beautiful as everyone one of them in the same gallery has been.
“Norman Ackroyd, RA, one of Britain’s leading landscape artists and master printmakers, died on 16 September, 2024, at the age of 86. He is known for his atmospheric etchings and watercolours that detail the beauty and mystery of the British Isles and beyond. He often captured remote and rugged landscapes, utterly untouched by modern life. While minimalist in nature, they are deeply evocative. His art has left a lasting legacy in contemporary British art”.
“All of us at Eames Fine Art were deeply saddened to hear that Norman had passed away earlier this week. While we were aware that he had been unwell for some time, the news of his passing still leaves us with a profound sense of loss. Norman was a great friend, and a generous supporter of Eames Fine Art, and it was our immense privilege to exhibit his work on Bermondsey Street, just a short walk from his Studio, for over a decade.
He was the finest etcher of his generation and a figurehead for printmaking everywhere. His legacy in the artform that he made his own can be seen in the work of the many artists he inspired, taught and nurtured. In accordance with Norman and his family’s wishes, his current exhibition in our gallery will remain open as a celebration of Norman and his wonderful life and work. Norman held the places depicted in this exhibition very close to his heart. It has been extremely moving in the gallery this week – to be surrounded by Norman’s passion for the British Isles and the journeys he made with family and friends. We are very touched by the number of people dropping by to leave their condolences and share their own memories. Go well Norman. We’ll raise a glass to you, with love. Thank you Norman, R.I.P.”
His was an illustrious career and this latest show really does tell you much of what you need to know about Norman Ackroyd’s powerfully beautiful work, his celebrations of the edges of British Isles, his cliffs, his views from boats, his places, his bird movement, those gulls and diving Gannets (something he really captures in just the right way), his mountains, his subtle suggestions, it doesn’t always have to be loud, it doesn’t always have to make demands. Standing quietly in front of a Norman Ackroyd piece has always been something special, I could do it for hours, if I could have just one piece of work on my studio wall next to me treasured Peter Prendergast piece it would be a Norman Ackroyd, they both said so much about these isles, Norman was one of our finest landscape artists and this small show is a very fitting celebration of the man and his work, do go and see it if you can, take a moment on your way to the White Cube and the Tracey Emin show that opened last night, it really will be worth it… THank you Norman Ackroyd. Our thoughts are with Norman’s friends and family, (sw)
Notes on Water is on at Eames Fine Art, 58 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UD until 6th October 2024
Previously –
As always do click on an image to see the whole thing or to run the small slide show
THE ORGAN 
3 responses to “ORGAN THING: Norman Ackroyd’s Notes on Water at Bermondsey’s Eames Fine Art. Sadly we lost Norman this week, he was one of our finest landscape artists and although not intended to be, this is a very fitting celebration of the man and his beautifully powerful work, do go and see it if you can…”
[…] tide flooding down Bermondsey Road (and most flooding down without a glance towards that glorious Norman Ackroyd exhibition happening on the same street, I’d already spent some time in there in the late afternoon, can’t resist diving in for […]
[…] tide flooding down Bermondsey Road (and most flooding down without a glance towards that glorious Norman Ackroyd exhibition happening on the same street, I’d already spent some time in there in the late afternoon, can’t resist diving in for […]
[…] ORGAN THING: Norman Ackroyd’s Notes on Water at Bermondsey’s Eames Fine Art. Sadly we lost Norma… […]