Skip to content

Never-before-seen Ackling artwork to go on show

Estate of the Artist / Courtesy Annely Juda Fine A Artwork created using sunlight on woodEstate of the Artist / Courtesy Annely Juda Fine A
(L-R) Weybourne June 1997 and Japan 1984 by Roger Ackling

A show of "enigmatic" artwork by a famed British sculptor will include pieces never seen before in the UK.

The Sunlight exhibition at Norwich Castle Museum and Gallery is believed to be the most significant show of Roger Ackling's art.

The 66-year-old, who died in 2014, worked with natural materials, particularly driftwood gathered from his local beach in Weybourne.

Gallery curator Dr Rosy Gray said his work was "beautiful and powerful".

Estate of the Artist / Courtesy Annely Juda Fine A Roger Ackling pieceEstate of the Artist / Courtesy Annely Juda Fine A
Roger Ackling specialised in pieces using wood he burnt using the sun's rays

The Sunlight exhibition, which will run from 18 May to 22 September, will feature Ackling's earliest experimental pieces as well as much of his final work.

The artist spent 50 years creating art by focussing sunlight through the lens of a magnifying glass to burn patterns on the wood.

Eirian Evans/Geograph Weybourne beachEirian Evans/Geograph
Roger Ackling used driftwood collected from a beach in Weybourne near his home in Norfolk

Materials were gathered from the beach close to his Norfolk home.

The exhibition will include card and paper pieces not shown in the UK before.

Dr Gray added: "Ackling made a great variety of objects that are beautiful, enigmatic and powerful.

"They occupy a unique place in contemporary art practice.

"Sunlight testifies to this variety with more than 150 works on display, many of which have not been shown before in the UK."

presentational grey line

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830