Maggi Hambling is a celebrated British painter and sculptor known for her bold, expressive style and emotionally charged works. Throughout her career, she has explored themes of life, death, memory, and the natural world, often using dynamic brushwork and dramatic contrasts of light and colour. Her work spans a variety of media, from painting and drawing to large-scale public sculptures.
In 1980, Hambling made history as the first ‘Artist in Residence’ at the National Gallery in London, a role that further cemented her reputation as a leading contemporary artist. Her paintings often feature portraits, both of famous figures and personal acquaintances, rendered with a sense of immediacy and psychological depth. Additionally, she is well known for her evocative landscapes and seascapes, particularly those inspired by the Suffolk coast, where she grew up. These paintings capture the raw energy and movement of the sea, often reflecting themes of power and transience.
One of her most notable public works is the sculpture ‘A Conversation with Oscar Wilde’ (1998), located in London’s Adelaide Street, near Trafalgar Square. This interactive memorial features a bronze bust of Wilde emerging from a granite coffin, accompanied by a carved stone platform inscribed with one of his famous quotes. Designed to invite public engagement, the work reflects Hambling’s interest in merging art with social commentary.
Another well-known piece is ‘Scallop’ (2003), a striking four-meter-high stainless steel sculpture located on Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk. Created as a tribute to composer Benjamin Britten, the work is inscribed with a line from Britten’s opera Peter Grimes: “I hear those voices that will not be drowned.” The sculpture has sparked both admiration and controversy, with some viewing it as a powerful and poetic homage, while others debate its placement on the beach.
Hambling’s works are housed in prestigious collections, including the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Britain, and the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art. She has continued to push artistic boundaries, creating challenging works that address contemporary issues, such as her ‘Walls of Water’ series, which reflects themes of chaos and destruction, and her portraits of significant LGBTQ+ figures.
