Town recreates Lowry painting in same spot

LS Lowry: Bridge Street, Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1938. All rights reserved DACS 2024

People have dressed as characters in an LS Lowry painting to recreate a scene he captured in 1938.

The artist was a frequent visitor to Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, where an exhibition of his work is being held at the Granary Gallery until October.

One of his paintings is of Bridge Street, which has changed very little over the last eight decades.

The recreation was the idea of Jonathan Macfarlane, who has a business there. He said: "Everyone had a great time and it was just an amazing community event."

Lowry, who died in 1976, is known for his depictions of working-class life in the industrial parts of northern England.

Karen Page, Val Knowles and Michael Shepherd run a bed and breakfast in Berwick and said lots of their guests had come to see the Lowry exhibition

"So many people made the effort to dress up just like the people in that 1938 painting," Mr Macfarlane said.

"We had lots of dogs, it was just such a huge success.

"It just shows what a community can do with a little inspiration."

Bridge Street has remained largely unchanged in the decades since Lowry painted it

Among the 100 or so people who took part was Ian Leech, who said: "I used to have a Lowry print hanging on my wall and this seemed like great chance to be in one of his paintings."

Student Jack Brodie added: "I'm doing history, so I was really interested in seeing how this historical painting would be recreated."

Lowry was a regular visitor to Northumberland

James Lowther, head of visual arts for the Maltings Trust, said: "It's such a great idea to try and recreate one of his most iconic works of Berwick.

"Well done to everyone involved."

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