Maggi Hambling: War Requiem & Aftermath, Somerset House

After five decades working at the forefront of British art, Maggi Hambling has become one of the country’s most respected, if at times controversial, artists. After the raucous Maggi Hambling National Gallery exhibition 2014, where a series of painterly waterfalls caused a stir at the London museum, Somerset House presents a new exhibition of recent work by the British artist.
Somerset House exhibition 2015
At the heart of this show in the King’s Cultural Institute at Somerset House is her site-specific installation War Requiem. The work, which first showed in summer 2013, is documented in video form, and accompanies a new series of Maggi Hambling paintings, which delve into the themes of violence and victimhood at the heart of the installation.
You’ll find previous works alongside, gesturing to the motifs of war and death that have informed much of Hambling’s work. Also look out for the new series of sculptures by Hambling, entitled Aftermath. Created from pieces of dead wood and painted in a luminous bronze paint, these gnarled objects seem to take on new life.
To find out more, drop in on one of the many talks held in tandem with the exhibition as King’s academics from a range of disciplines respond to the show.
The Maggi Hambling reviews after her National Gallery show might not have been glowing, but this quieter exhibition in Somerset House shows Maggi Hambling CBE back to her creative best.