Celebrating The Magna Carta

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Painting exhibition to go on display around Ealing

An exhibition of strikingly unique coloured paintings celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta will be touring libraries as part of this year’s Ealing Autumn Festival.

Magna Carta turns 800 will be launched at Ealing Central Library on Saturday, June 13 when 26 paintings based on the coats-of-arms of the 25 Magna Carta barons and King John will be on display.

It will be officially opened by the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Harbhajan Kaur-Dheer, and there will be a talk from historian Jonathan Oates (11am-12noon) and the artists will also describe their work on the exhibition followed by a day of films, recorded music and craftwork.

The exhibition is designed and organised by Diana Braybrook, a practicing artist in west London, and tutor to the 4020 Art Group. The 26 group members have each contributed a painting to the event which is inspired by the vibrant colours of medieval stained glass and the highly decorative illuminated manuscripts of the period

Diana said: “The 4020 Art Group takes its name from the A4020, that stretch of the Uxbridge Road running from Shepherd’s Bush to Uxbridge. Members meet regularly from all parts of the borough to develop their drawing and painting skills.

“What could be more appropriate than commemorating the Magna Carta which was signed at Runnymede, only 12 miles from our studio at Hanwell Community Centre?”

“This is truly a big team effort. We have devoted several classes to this project over the past three months, and artists have been putting the final touches to their works in front rooms, spare bedrooms and attics ready for the opening event.”

Gillian Spragg, artistic director of the Ealing Autumn Festival said:

“Celebrating the Magna Carta is a tremendously exciting idea to take up this year, especially as we are emerging from our recent elections. How we exercise our democratic rights can really matter and there could not be a better moment to delve into the origins of our freedom, human rights and democracy.

“It is fascinating to see how all the fundamental ideas of what is fair and right have changed very little over the last 800 years, though there are also aspects which at that time depended on rather different customs from ours.''

As part of the exhibition young ambassadors, aged between 12-25 years-old, will tour with it to discuss, debate and explain the significance of Magna Carta to visitors. A digitised version will be shown where there is not space for the full exhibition.

Dates for the tour are:

June 13 - July 4: Ealing Central Library; July 7- 25: Hanwell Library, Jubilee Gardens Library (digitised); July 27/28 - August 15: Acton Library, Northfields Library (digitised); August 17/18 - September 5: Southall Library, Perivale Library (digitised); September 7/8 – 26: Northolt Library, Pitshanger Library (digitised); September 28 -October 31: Ealing Central Library, Wood End Library (digitised); November 3 -21: Greenford Library, West Ealing Library (digitised); November 23 – December 5: Additional presentations at community centres.

See www.ealingautumnfestival.co.uk or ask at your library for more details.

9th June 2015