Exhibition – Re-imaging Gwendolen
- 31/1/26 - 8/5/26
- 9:00 - 16:30
As part of this exciting new exhibition created in collaboration with local young people and the Future Creators’ Coastal Catalyst project, the Museum will be temporarily relocating the large pastel portrait of Gwendolen, Duchess of Norfolk from the Council’s Millennium Chamber to the Museum’s Hearne Gallery.
This striking portrait, by Littlehampton artist Maurice Randell, is a pastel copy of an original oil painting presented to the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk by the People of Littlehampton on the occasion of their wedding in 1904. Randell’s pastel version was later gifted to the town in 1936 and unveiled by the Duchess’s son, Bernard, Duke of Norfolk. February 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of that gift, making this a particularly special moment to revisit the story of Gwendolen and her connection to the town.
For this exhibition, local young people will create new artworks inspired by the portrait, exploring their own creative responses through mediums such as fine art, sculpture, photography, and fashion. With access to display cases and mannequins, they’ll also take on curatorial role, planning the layout and designing exhibition labels, bringing a fresh and personal perspective to this historic piece.
