A new exhibition on prolific Stockport-born artist Alan Lowndes opened at Stockport Art Gallery last month.

 by Alan Lowndes

'Alan Lowndes - A Retrospective', which takes in nearly 40 years of the artist's work, celebrates the 750th anniversary this year of Stockport Market where he rented a studio for much of his early career.

Lowndes was born locally in Heaton Norris and Stockport has always provided much of the inspiration for his work, even after he moved to St Ives in 1959.

He is famous for his depictions of Stockport streets, mills, parks and the iconic viaduct. Lowndes created scenes for his characters to inhabit, places where they carried out everyday activities like hanging out the washing or eating fish and chips.

His work reflects a movement in the mid-1950s which wrote about, photographed and painted working class people. He depicted their aspirations, hopes and daily lives. His painting 'Coronation Street, Stockport' inspired Tony Warren to call his new TV drama Coronation Street in 1960.

In 1998, painter Sir Terry Frost said that "many people consider Alan Lowndes to be a naïve painter, he wasn't, he was a great painter, " and "Alan Lowndes is a greater painter than Lowry."

The exhibition brings together paintings from private collections across the UK, complementing paintings from Stockport's Permanent Collection. The exhibition was conceived by the Art Gallery in partnership with the Crane Kalman Gallery and celebrates the launch of a major new Lowndes biography written by Jonathan Riley.

Councillor John Smith, Executive Member for Leisure in Stockport, said: "Being able to showcase this Alan Lowndes exhibition in Stockport is very special. This is a very prestigious exhibition and it is very exciting that his home town is able to show such a large bank of his work in one display. I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to experience the borough through the work of one of Stockport's most prolific painters."

Stockport Art Gallery is open: Tuesday - Friday 1pm -5pm, Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 5pm. Closed Monday. For more information contact Stockport Art Gallery on 0161 474 4453.

The exhibition forms part of the visual arts programme for Culturefeast, Stockport's annual Arts Festival, planned for May. It provides the backdrop for creative workshops, interactive talks, and advice sessions designed to inspire creativity.

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