Preview: Ian Dury’s pop art to be revealed in first solo show

 
Alamy
11 July 2013

The family of the late rock singer Ian Dury hopes to reclaim him as an artist with the first solo exhibition of his paintings but are still hunting some of his works.

Jemima Dury today appealed to anyone who may own a piece by her father, who had hits in the Seventies including What A Waste and Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, to get in touch.

Dury catalogued a number of works when he was a student at the Royal College of Art in the Sixties but their whereabouts are unknown. The family own around 60 pieces and will put around half on public display at the Royal College, where he was taught by Sir Peter Blake, later this month.

Ms Dury, 44, said: “They’re such important examples of pop art and have his character all over them. I feel like he was unnecessarily shy of them.” She said her father, who died aged 57 in 2000, clearly felt he was never going to make it as a painter and downplayed his talent when the musical career took off.

She found a chest of his art in storage when researching the Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll film starring Andy Serkis. Missing works include two covered in sequins and a giant painting of gangster Al Capone which he was photographed in front of. “I’m kind of guessing certain pieces are in storage or with people he was at college with. Occasionally he gave people a piece of work,” she said.

Money for the exhibition is being raised through crowd-funding on Kickstarter with contributors including Serkis and Dury’s Blockheads band. Singer Robbie Williams, a friend of Dury through charity work, has also pledged support.

Ian Dury — More than Fair, paintings, drawings and artworks 1961-1972, will be at the Royal College of Art at Kensington Gore from July 23 to September 1. Admission free. rca.ac.uk

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