Exhibition: Sir Anthony Hopkins, Gallery 27, London, until February 20 2010
Sir Anthony Hopkins will be hoping his artwork earns a kinder reaction than the critical mauling received by latest film The Wolfman after 50 of his canvasses went on display at London's Gallery 27.
Ink drawings and acrylic paintings make up the 50 works
Despite exhibiting widely across the US, the show is the first outing for the cannibalistic Welsh screen icon's paintings in the UK. Their appearance at the Mayfair gallery this week will be followed by a further four-day visit to The Dome in Edinburgh at the start of March.
Hopkins has already exhibited across the US, where he paints at his Malibu studio home
Largely comprising surreal portraits and abstract landscapes in bold colours, the works were made by Hopkins at his home studio in Malibu, California. He began painting in 2002 at the encouragement of his wife, who found a collection of old scripts with his drawings on them.
The actor's wife persuaded him to paint after glimpsing his talent on script drawings
Hopkins "considers himself a shy artist", according to exhibition promoter Jonathan Poole, who says the "evocative and magnetic" ink drawings and acrylic paintings will also tour to Wales and other venues.
All images © the artist and Jonathan Poole, Compton Cassey Gallery. jonathanpoole.co.uk
Gallery 27, Cork Street, London. Open 11am-6pm (4pm Saturday). Admission free. Call 020 7287 8408 or visit the Gallery online.
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