Kenwood, Hampstead Lane, London NW3 7JR
Ronnie Wood will unveil a series of stunning new paintings at historic Kenwood in London this October. The artist and Rolling Stones guitarist has chosen the atmospheric surroundings of the Orangery of the Georgian villa in Hampstead as the setting to unveil four of his most recent original artworks that will be showcased at a special evening reception hosted by Ronnie and will then be on public display from 14-16 October.
On the edge of Hampstead Heath and surrounded by tranquil landscaped gardens, Kenwood is one of London’s hidden gems. In the care of English Heritage, it is home to many internationally renowned paintings including Vermeer’s The Guitar Player and houses one of the largest and most imposing of all Rembrandt’s self-portraits.
The presentation of Ronnie’s vibrant contemporary paintings in the spectacular setting of Kenwood, home to such important historic works, was a fitting and personal choice for Ronnie. When the music legend was aged 12 and just discovering his passion for art, the first painting he ever produced was his own version of Rembrandt’s famed Self-Portrait with Two Circles which has been on permanent display at Kenwood since 1928.
“I’ve been fascinated by Rembrandt’s extraordinary work since I was a kid and I’m honoured to present my latest paintings at Kenwood in the company of such incredible masterpieces. It’s such a beautiful setting and I hope people will come and take a look at my contemporary works alongside these historic pieces.”
Ronnie has also painted his very own homage to Rembrandt’s seascape, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, the painting notoriously stolen from Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston in 1990. Considered the biggest art heist in history, thieves disguised as police officers stole Rembrandt’s only seascape and twelve other works, none of which have ever been recovered.
Other works that will be unveiled by Ronnie at Kenwood include an imposing triptych paying homage to German painter Max Beckmann, a colourful and evocative painting that mixes scenes from fantasy, mythology interspersed with a touch of rock ‘n’ roll.