Exhibition celebrating Sunderland 'artistic genius' among attractions at Culture House

She’s one of Sunderland’s most underrated creative geniuses, her work only truly celebrated after her death.

Now, unseen work by Audrey Amiss, whose story featured in a major film, has gone on show in her home city for the first time.

Kitchen Sink Realism is the first exhibition at NGCA’s (Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art) new home at Culture House.

The gallery, which is more than 50-years-old, relocated to the new Keel Square venue after its previous base at National Glass Centre closed.

Audrey Amiss: Kitchen Sink Realism, developed in partnership with Wellcome Collection, brings together previously unseen paintings, drawings, and archival material from the remarkable archive of the Fulwell-born artist and officially opened at the new venue over the weekend.

It’s one of three gallery spaces housed within Culture House, which attracted 6,000 visitors on opening day alone on September 12.

Born in Sunderland in 1933, Audrey Amiss studied at Sunderland College of Art, now part of the University of Sunderland's School of Media and Creative Industries, before receiving a prestigious scholarship to study painting at the Royal Academy in London.

But her artistic studies were never completed due to mental illness, which was less well understood in the 1950s.

Audrey’s remarkable story was brought to the fore in 2022 film Typist Artist Pirate King, named after what Audrey put as her occupation in her passport.

She was a prolific artist who, on her death in a Clapham maisonette in 2013, left behind a vast collection of work, 50,000 sketches in her sketchbooks alone.

Her work documented everyday life through painting, drawing, journaling, collage, and campaigning, creating an extensive body of work that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Steve Weatherell, Audrey Amiss’ nephew, said: “Both Audrey and my mother were incredibly proud of their Sunderland roots and thanks to this exhibition, which displays a number of her pieces inspired by the city, it feels as though the circle is complete.

“It’s something which we had always dreamed might be possible and we’re very pleased that Sunderland has recognised that she’s very much a daughter of the city and that it has been so happy to welcome her home.”

Audrey Amiss: Kitchen Sink Realism charts Audrey's artistic journey from her working-class family life in Sunderland to her later years in South London. The exhibition features early works depicting locations and subjects from across Sunderland and the North East.

Kevin Petrie, Professor of Creative Practice, School of Media and Creative Industries at the University of Sunderland, who own the gallery, said: "It's fantastic to be able to showcase the work of this important artist in our new gallery space.

“NGCA gives our creative students the chance to work alongside the exhibition curator, and in many cases artists themselves, to learn first-hand about careers and professional practice in the arts.

“We're planning a range of exhibitions of professional artists, academic creative work and student projects for our new gallery space, demonstrating all the ways in which creativity can challenge, inspire, and delight.”

Nick Malyan, Chief Executive of Sunderland Culture, said: "It's incredibly exciting to open Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art's new home with the work of such a remarkable Sunderland-born artist.

"Audrey Amiss' story and her work are deeply connected to the city, so bringing her work back to Sunderland feels like a fitting way to begin this new chapter for NGCA.

"We're grateful to Wellcome Collection for helping us bring Audrey's work to new audiences and shine a light on an artist whose work deserves to be much more widely known.”

The new gallery space will bring together exhibitions by professional artists, academic creative work, and student projects, while providing opportunities for University of Sunderland students to gain first-hand experience of working alongside artists, curators, and arts professionals.

Audrey Amiss: Kitchen Sink Realism has been developed with support from Wellcome Collection, London, and will run at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art until Sunday 17 January.

A concurrent exhibition, Audrey Amiss: The Surviving Exhibitions, is on display at Wellcome Collection in London until 7 February 2027.