Shoreditch gallery ‘devastated’ after local artist’s painting was stolen in daytime robbery

0


The stolen piece – Facade of the commercial street. Photography: courtesy of Stephen Harwood

A painting was stolen in broad daylight from a gallery in Shoreditch last month, leaving the painter and the venue distraught.

Facade of the commercial street by Stephen Harwood was taken on the afternoon of August 28 from the Studio 1.1 gallery on Redchurch Street, before Harwood’s solo show Gone tomorrow, which opens September 16.

The gallery is guarded and guarded, but the thief managed to remove the artwork from its place on the wall.

Artist Stephen Harwood. Photography: courtesy of Stephen Harwood

Harwood said: “I was hoping to include the painting in the show, so now I’m trying to do it again, against the clock – bigger and hopefully better. I try to stay positive!

Harwood lives in Hackney and recreates scenes from his neighborhood in a way that “falls”[s] somewhere between reality and fiction ”.

He has made a name for himself on the London art scene, with biographer Peter Ackroyd commenting, “Stephen Harwood’s work is filled with the energy and momentum of the city itself… he is one of the best performers in London.

The painting of a building on Commercial Street, a stone’s throw from the gallery itself, is the poster for the exhibition.

Studio 1.1 said it was the only time in 18 years that a work of art was stolen.
Photography: courtesy of Stephen Harwood

Studio 1.1 expressed dismay at the loss of the board.

A representative said: “The impact has been quite devastating, and of course, it was particularly upsetting for Stephen.

“We are a non-profit space and this is absolutely the first time this has happened in 18 years that we have been on Redchurch Street.

“We are all the same determined to remain faithful to our policy of keeping the door to the street open, welcoming to all, against the closed door model, reserved for the elites, of some of our commercial colleagues.

“At the height of Redchurch Street’s tourist attraction, we could easily see 250 visitors on a summer Sunday, and while the majority may be wandering around out of curiosity, we think it’s important to give them no -what a moment of exposure to art.

“What we’re happy about is having the chance to have this solo show.”

They added: “The support [Stephen has] Receiving retweets from an account of the theft he posted on Twitter was also heartwarming.

Support us

The coronavirus outbreak prevented the Hackney Citizen from printing a monthly newspaper for three months.

We are grateful that we have since been able to resume printing. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our readers, whose donations have kept the newspaper from disappearing altogether at a difficult time for residents.

A big thank you to everyone who gave their time and money to support us during the lockdown, and to those who continue to do so as we slowly recover from the dramatic drop in ad revenue, in addition to the challenges that exist. that threaten the future of the local. journalism.

A one-time donation or a regular contribution from anyone who can afford it will help our small team to keep the print journal and website up and running in the months and years to come.

Find out how you can donate.

Thanks for your support and stay safe.

The Hackney Citizen team


Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.