Curtain up on John Hurt’s paintings and drawings

More than 30 paintings and drawings by the late screen legend Sir John Hurt are to be shown in the first ever exhibition of his work. The actor, famous for roles in the Harry Potter films and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, won a scholarship to Central St Martins School of Art in London at the age of 19. The screen star considered his art just as serious as his acting, says his wife Anwen, Lady Hurt. The show, John Hurt as artist, launches at the Auden Theatre in Holt, Norfolk (21-29 July) as part of the annual Holt Festival. Owned by Lady Hurt and friends of the actor, the mostly figurative works include drawings of characters he played such as John Merrick in The Elephant Man. Robert Upstone, former head of Modern British art at the Tate, says: “John Hurt brought the same creativity and brilliance to being an artist as he did an actor.”