Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery proudly announce the success of its summer exhibition, Peggy Guggenheim: Petersfield to Palazzo, which attracted 8,900 visitors from across the UK and beyond. This record-breaking attendance affirms the Museum and Art Gallery’s aim as a cultural destination and bringing new visitors to Petersfield by unveiling the untold story of Peggy Guggenheim’s connection to the local area.
Peggy Guggenheim: Petersfield to Palazzo, which ran from June to October 2024, showcased a selection of artworks and archival material from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, prestigious UK collections and the Museum and Art Gallery’s own collections.
“We are thrilled by the overwhelming response to Peggy Guggenheim: Petersfield to Palazzo,” said Dan McWilliam, Director of Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery. “It exceeded all our expectations and we are proud to have shared the story of Guggenheim’s connection to Petersfield with visitors from our local community across the UK and internationally”.
Peggy Guggenheim: Petersfield to Palazzo delved into Peggy Guggenheim’s years living at Yew Tree Cottage near Petersfield from 1934 - 1939. The exhibition explored her life in the English countryside, her time in the vibrant art scenes of London, New York and Venice, becoming one of the art world’s most influential figures of the 20th century. Visitors experienced artworks by artists Guggenheim, the self-described ‘art addict’, championed including Jean Arp, Max Ernst, Rita Kernn-Larsen, Henry Moore, Yves Tanguy and John Tunnard, among others.
"The exhibition brought new life to a previously untold story of Peggy Guggenheim’s connection to Hampshire and West Sussex, adding to the cultural richness of our area,” said Louise Weller, Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery. “It’s been a delight to see so many people captivated by her legacy, from those discovering her life for the first time, to those with a deeper knowledge of the modern art world”.
This exhibition sparked interest across the region, bringing in visitors from all over the country and beyond. Whether arriving by train, car or on foot, Petersfield welcomed thousands of new visitors, eager to engage with the exhibition, experience the Museum and Art Gallery’s summer event programme and explore Petersfield in the footsteps of Peggy Guggenheim.
While Peggy Guggenheim: Petersfield to Palazzo has now closed, Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery looks forward to its next chapter. As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, the Museum and Art Gallery will open South Downs Open (22 October 2024-1 February 2025), featuring over 120 artists with nearly 150 artworks on display. The Museum and Art Gallery remains committed to bringing exhibitions reflecting the beauty and artistic heritage of Hampshire and the region to local, national and international visitors.