Royal Academy's Orr donates rare prints to Rugby Art Gallery and Museum

The Royal Academician, a former professor of printmaking at London's Royal College of Art, made the generous donation after the art gallery hosted his Domestic Fantastic: Prints and Paintings exhibition earlier this year.

The ten lithograph prints were each limited to a 25-print run, with Rugby Art Gallery and Museum now joining the Royal Academy as the only venues to have the complete set.

Orr's distinctive, densely-detailed prints take a humorous, satirical view of our everyday lives. Titles of the limited edition prints include 'The all England all sport final', '34 Actors in search of a play' and 'What artists did in lockdown'.

Orr was a made a fellow of the Royal College of Art in 1985 and three years later he was made a fellow of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers.

He was made an MBE in 2008 for his services to the arts.

Katie Boyce, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's senior exhibitions and programming officer, said the art gallery had forged a close relationship with Chris when he brought his own exhibition to the venue and also curated this year's Rugby Collection exhibition.

"We really enjoyed working with Chris and feel truly privileged to receive his generous donation of a set of extremely limited edition prints," Katie added.

"Chris has a remarkable CV, staging solo shows in Tokyo, New York and Melbourne, while also working as a revered academic in his field, and we're delighted to add his works to the Rugby Collection of modern and contemporary art."

The Rugby Collection was established by Rugby Borough Council in 1946 and now comprises more than 200 pieces, including works from Turner Prize winners Lubaina Himid and Gillian Wearing, and pieces from LS Lowry, Stanley Spencer and Barbara Hepworth.

Works selected from the collection feature in an annual Rugby Collection exhibition at the venue.

Cllr Maggie O'Rourke, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for partnerships and wellbeing, said: "I know the art gallery team loved working with Chris earlier this year and it's a wonderful gesture for him to donate this set of limited edition prints to the Rugby Collection."

Cllr Neil Sandison, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, added: "This is yet another exciting addition to the Rugby Collection which should appeal to our residents and visitors to the town centre."

For more information about exhibitions and events at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, visit www.ragm.co.uk