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Surrey gallery to display Nelson Mandela artwork

Getty Images Nelson Mandela looking out of a barred windowGetty Images
Nelson Mandela sketched memories from the 27 years he spent behind bars

A gallery in Surrey is to display artwork by Nelson Mandela to celebrate 30 years since he became President of South Africa.

Belgravia Gallery in Cranleigh will exhibit signed lithographs by the apartheid activist portraying scenes of his time in Robben Island prison.

Laura Walford, Belgravia Gallery's managing director, said Mandela's legacy was "huge and immeasurable".

The exhibition starts on 10 June and will continue throughout the summer.

Belgravia Gallery A lithograph showing a brown guard tower, green grass and a barbed wire fenceBelgravia Gallery
The artwork depicts scenes from Robben Island prison, such as this one showing the guard tower and the barbed wire fence

Mandela, who died in 2013, spent 27 years in prison, 18 of those on Robben Island.

After his release in 1990, he negotiated an end to apartheid and became South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.

"He taught the world lessons that we could all take heed of today, particularly with the conflicts that are going on in the world," said Ms Walford.

Belgravia Gallery will also be selling copies of his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, that have been bound by Abbey Bookbindery, a monastic bookbinders based in Surrey.

There will be a limited edition of 30 copies available at £1950 each.

Artwork viewings are by appointment only.

Belgravia Gallery A leather copy of Nelson Mandela's autobiographyBelgravia Gallery
Copies of Nelson Mandela's autobiography have been bound by a monastic bookbinders in Surrey

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