Gill’s Art Controversy: Museum Consults Survivors

Several of the survivors group also had issues about Annunciation as it shows a leading Angel Gabriel looming over the Virgin Mary. It will be consisted of in the Ditchling museum’s It Takes A Village exhibit, nevertheless in a different area including some of Gill’s more controversial jobs.

Survivor Objections to Gill’s Nude Art

The survivors really felt that the 3 Ditchling-owned jobs of Gill’s nude children– entitled Woman in a Bathroom I, Woman in a Bath II and From Eliz and component of the Ditchling’s collection– stank and could upset site visitors to It Takes a Village. These arguments were taken on board by the museum’s director Stephanie Fuller.

Two of the works– a timber engraving and a drawing– depict Gill’s child Petra, nude in a bath, while the other is an illustration of a nude Elizabeth. Each had actually been aligned for addition in the exhibitionIt Takes A Town at the Ditchling Gallery of Art and Craft (till 1 February 2026), focused on artists that, like Gill, worked in the Sussex village in the early 20th century. The decision to disappoint the jobs, which belong to the gallery’s collection, followed staff sought advice from a group of misuse survivors.

Ditchling Museum’s Collaboration

The Ditchling museum decided to welcome four ladies from the Methodist Survivors Advisory Group, who had themselves been abused when they were more youthful, to co-curate the area of the program devoted to Gill. The team had previously been involved in discussions over whether the UK’s Methodist Modern Art Collection (MMAC) need to still have Gill’s watercolour, Annunciation (around 1912), which shows a leading Angel Gabriel looming over the Virgin Mary.

The museum has likewise very recently discovered art by Petra, Elizabeth and Joanna, which they had sent to the artist Joseph Cribb, Gill’s pupil. The works, which became part of a collection provided to the gallery by Cribb’s grand son, include a drawing by Elizabeth of steeds and canines, produced Cribb after he was invalided out of Globe Battle One; an etching by Petra of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, sent to Cribb as a Xmas card; and Joanna’s 3 Kings from the Orient.

Celebrating Gill’s Daughters

An essential goal of the show is to commemorate the lives and success of Gill’s three little girls, “not as sufferers yet as consequently having met lives”, Richer says. All three– the youngest being Joanna– married, worked and had kids in the creative arts. “Their voices have been missing out on,” says Fuller.

The MMAC read about the Ditchling’s prepare for a show involving Gill’s job and connected with the museum, supplying The Annunciation as a finance and suggesting a partnership with the survivors team– which was agreed.

“I wanted to take the lead from the survivors group regarding what we could show,” Fuller says. “I had a long list of jobs, which was trimmed, and, after lots of conversations, they really felt the three works disagreed. So they will not be in the exhibition.”

Museum’s Decision & Survivor Input

Gill’s art has actually been questionable because his abuse and incestuous partnership with his sibling, Gladys, came to light in a 1989 bio by Fiona MacCarthy. A sculpture on the front of BBC Broadcasting Residence in London, portraying Prospero and Ariel, has been vandalised two times– in 2022 and 2023. It has considering that been recovered and was reinstated in April.

“We value Steph’s decision,” says Vivien Almond, a participant of the survivors group. “They are totally improper. I’m also certain that Gill’s children never ever intended to be portrayed in this way, nor did they give permission.”

2 of the works– a wood engraving and an illustration– depict Gill’s little girl Petra, nude in a bathroom, while the various other is a drawing of a naked Elizabeth. Each had actually been lined up for addition in the exhibitionIt Takes A Village at the Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft (till 1 February 2026), concentrated on artists that, like Gill, worked in the Sussex town in the early 20th century. The decision to not reveal the jobs, which are part of the gallery’s collection, came after staff spoke with a group of misuse survivors.

“I had a lengthy list of works, which was whittled down, and, after numerous discussions, they felt the three works were unsuitable.