Edward Burra
Encyclopedia
Edward Burra was an English
painter, draughtsman, and printmaker, best known for his depictions of the urban underworld, black culture and the Harlem
scene of the 1930s.
Burra was born near Rye, East Sussex
, and attended preparatory school, but later had to be withdrawn due to anaemia and rheumatic fever
. Burra studied at Chelsea School of Art from 1921–3, and the Royal College of Art
from 1923–4. He had his first solo show at the Leicester Galleries in 1929. He was a member of Unit One in 1933 and showed with the English Surrealists later in the 1930s.
Burra travelled widely, and many influences are at play in his works, which were usually watercolour on a large scale in strong colours. During World War Two, when it became impossible to travel, he also became involved in designing scenery and costumes for ballet (including Miracle in the Gorbals
) and became very successful in that field.
He declined membership of the Royal Academy
in 1963 after being elected but was created CBE
in 1971. The Tate Gallery
held a retrospective of his work in 1973. In conjunction with the exhibition at Tate, the Arts Council of Great Britain
produced a documentary about the life and work of the artist, Edward Burra. All the footage of the interview with Burra conducted for this film was assembled into a documentary in 1981, The Burra Interview. In this interview, Burra avers that "Nothing matters." He praises Yorkshire because "it's nice and bare".
After breaking his hip in 1974, his health declined sharply and he died in Hastings
, England
in 1976. The Tate Gallery Archive holds considerable materials relating to Burra, including his letters.
At the Sotheby's
Evill/Frost sale in June 2011, Edward Burra’s Zoot Suits sold for £2,057,250, breaking a record set for the artist earlier in the evening when his The Common Stair, from 1929, sold for £881,250.
The first major museum exhibition of Burra's work for over 25 years is being held at Pallant House Gallery
in Chichester
from 22 October 2011 to 19 February 2012. It is accompanied by a new monograph on the artist by the Gallery's curator, Simon Martin, and published by Lund Humphries.
On 24 October 2011, the BBC
aired an hour-long documentary "I Never Tell Anybody Anything: The Life and Art of Edward Burra". In this film, the art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon
chronicles the life of Burra. The documentary follows Burra from his native town of Rye
to the Paris night-life spots he loved and the jazz clubs of prohibition-era New York
and the war-torn landscapes of the Spanish Civil War
and back to England during the Blitz
. It shows how Burra's increasingly disturbing and surreal work deepened and matured as he experienced at first hand some of the most tragic events of the century. Through letters and interviews with those who knew him, it presents a portrait of an English eccentric.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
painter, draughtsman, and printmaker, best known for his depictions of the urban underworld, black culture and the Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
scene of the 1930s.
Burra was born near Rye, East Sussex
Rye, East Sussex
Rye is a small town in East Sussex, England, which stands approximately two miles from the open sea and is at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede...
, and attended preparatory school, but later had to be withdrawn due to anaemia and rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
. Burra studied at Chelsea School of Art from 1921–3, and the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
from 1923–4. He had his first solo show at the Leicester Galleries in 1929. He was a member of Unit One in 1933 and showed with the English Surrealists later in the 1930s.
Burra travelled widely, and many influences are at play in his works, which were usually watercolour on a large scale in strong colours. During World War Two, when it became impossible to travel, he also became involved in designing scenery and costumes for ballet (including Miracle in the Gorbals
Miracle in the Gorbals
Miracle in the Gorbals is a one-act ballet choreographed by Robert Helpmann to a story by Michael Benthall, with music by Arthur Bliss. The setting is the 1940s slums in the Gorbals area of Glasgow...
) and became very successful in that field.
He declined membership of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1963 after being elected but was created CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1971. The Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
held a retrospective of his work in 1973. In conjunction with the exhibition at Tate, the Arts Council of Great Britain
Arts Council of Great Britain
The Arts Council of Great Britain was a non-departmental public body dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts in Great Britain. The Arts Council of Great Britain was divided in 1994 to form the Arts Council of England , the Scottish Arts Council, and the Arts Council of Wales...
produced a documentary about the life and work of the artist, Edward Burra. All the footage of the interview with Burra conducted for this film was assembled into a documentary in 1981, The Burra Interview. In this interview, Burra avers that "Nothing matters." He praises Yorkshire because "it's nice and bare".
After breaking his hip in 1974, his health declined sharply and he died in Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1976. The Tate Gallery Archive holds considerable materials relating to Burra, including his letters.
At the Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
Evill/Frost sale in June 2011, Edward Burra’s Zoot Suits sold for £2,057,250, breaking a record set for the artist earlier in the evening when his The Common Stair, from 1929, sold for £881,250.
The first major museum exhibition of Burra's work for over 25 years is being held at Pallant House Gallery
Pallant House Gallery
Pallant House Gallery is an art gallery in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It houses one of the best collections of 20th century British art in the world....
in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
from 22 October 2011 to 19 February 2012. It is accompanied by a new monograph on the artist by the Gallery's curator, Simon Martin, and published by Lund Humphries.
On 24 October 2011, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
aired an hour-long documentary "I Never Tell Anybody Anything: The Life and Art of Edward Burra". In this film, the art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon
Andrew Graham-Dixon
Andrew Michael Graham-Dixon is a British art historian and broadcaster.-Education:Graham-Dixon was educated at the independent Westminster School and at Christ Church at the University of Oxford, where he read English...
chronicles the life of Burra. The documentary follows Burra from his native town of Rye
Rye, East Sussex
Rye is a small town in East Sussex, England, which stands approximately two miles from the open sea and is at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede...
to the Paris night-life spots he loved and the jazz clubs of prohibition-era New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and the war-torn landscapes of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and back to England during the Blitz
Blitz
-Armed conflict:*The Blitz, the German aerial attacks on Britain in WWII. The name Blitz was subsequently applied to many individual bombing campaigns or attacks.*Blitzkrieg, the "lightning war", a strategy of World War 2 Germany-People:...
. It shows how Burra's increasingly disturbing and surreal work deepened and matured as he experienced at first hand some of the most tragic events of the century. Through letters and interviews with those who knew him, it presents a portrait of an English eccentric.
External links
- Pallant House Gallery
- Tate Etc.
- Review, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...