An exhibition by abstract expressionist artist and Liverpool alumnus, Andrew Fekete, will open at the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum.
`Out of Time’ explores Andrew Fekete’s remarkable artistic life journey through his paintings, drawings and diaries and invites visitors to reflect on the relationship between creativity, sexuality and mental health. Andrew Fekete came to Liverpool as a student of Architecture at the University in 1972. However, in 1986, aged just 32, he died from an Aids-related illness, one of the first 100 victims of the AIDS epidemic that plagued Britain in the 1980s.
His paintings were influenced by both his architecture studies and Jungian psychology. He painted haunting, mysterious landscapes of his mental turmoil, often depriving himself of sleep for days to induce visions. His work was both self-therapy and divine revelation.
Kirsty Hall, Exhibition Curator at the Victoria Gallery & Museum, said: “Andrew’s story was what initially attracted me to his work – the struggles of a gay man growing up in 1980s Britain and how he expressed his feelings through his art.
“However after looking through his large body of work, so many different artistic styles are evident, showing his experimentation as a young amateur artist. I think there is something for everyone to appreciate in this exhibition, from the early cubist works to the Escher-inspired drawings which clearly show his architect training and skill”.
Peter Fekete, brother of the artist, said: “About six months before his death, Andrew showed me his paintings. I was stunned, and after his death, I knew that I would not be able to rest, until I had given others the chance to see what I saw. Thanks to the VG&M, that goal, 30 years later, has now been achieved.”
The exhibition is part of the Homotopia Festival, the UK’s foremost LGBT arts and culture festival.
There will be a series of free events to accompany this exhibition, inspired by Andrew’s life and work Including a symposium which will reflect on themes relating to LGBT issues with Jonathan Blake, Dr Alan Greaves, Reverand Donald Reeves, and is hosted by Will Smith.
It will be followed by the launch of `The Quest for Gold – a collection of autobiographical writings of Andrew Fekete, edited by Peter Fekete and published by Liverpool University Press. The book launch will feature dramatization of readings from the book.
The Symposium and book launch will take place on Friday, 18 November in the Leggate Theatre at the VG&M. It is a free event but please book a place at this website. http://www.andrewfekete.net/in-memoriam.html
`Out of Time’ opens to the public on Friday, 18 November 2016 and runs until February 2017.
