Comrades in Art: Artists Against Fascism Review at Towner Eastbourne
The top-floor galleries of Towner Eastbourne are currently showcasing 'Comrades in Art: Artists Against Fascism', which features over 320 items borrowed from 62 different collections. This exhibition tells the story of the Artists International Association (AIA), established in 1933 by Misha Black, Cliff Rowe, and Pearl Binder as a reaction to the economic downturn and the rise of fascism in Europe. Prominent figures such as Duncan Grant and Henry Moore were among the AIA's supporters, which organized the 'Artists Against Fascism and War' exhibition in Soho Square. By 1937, the AIA's membership had approached a thousand. Curator Andy Friend emphasizes the AIA's impact on both the Arts Council and the NHS. The exhibition, featuring Cliff Rowe's 'The Struggle Between the Unemployed and the Police Forces', is open until 18 October 2026, with entry fees ranging from £5.50 to £12.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Comrades in Art: Artists Against Fascism' at Towner Eastbourne
- Over 320 loans from 62 public and private collections
- Artists International Association (AIA) founded in 1933
- Founders: Misha Black, Cliff Rowe, Pearl Binder
- AIA attracted support from Duncan Grant, Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Laura Knight, Edward McKnight Kauffer
- AIA staged 'Artists Against Fascism and War' in Soho Square
- AIA held first British Artists' Congress in 1937
- AIA survived until 1958
- Curator Andy Friend researched AIA history
- AIA influence extended to founding of Arts Council and NHS
- Cliff Rowe's 'The Struggle Between the Unemployed and the Police Forces' shown as reproduction
- Everyman Prints: complete set of 52 lithographs sold through department stores from 1940
- Laura Knight's stylistic shift from nudes to realist portrait
- AIA destroyed much of its archive during WWII
- Exhibition runs until 18 October 2026
- Admission £5.50 to £12, free for members and under 25s
Entities
Artists
- Misha Black
- Cliff Rowe
- Pearl Binder
- Duncan Grant
- Henry Moore
- Paul Nash
- Laura Knight
- Edward McKnight Kauffer
- James Holland
- Helen Binyon
- Andy Friend
- Graham Sutherland
- Peter László Peri
- James Boswell
- Ethel Gabain
- Betty Rea
- Eric Ravilious
- Clive Branson
Institutions
- Towner Eastbourne
- Artists International Association
- Arts Council
- NHS
- Lviv National Art Gallery
- Selfridges
- Artists International Association (AIA)
- Assoziation revolutionärer bildender Künstler
- State Publishing House
- RAF
- AEU
Locations
- Eastbourne
- United Kingdom
- Soho Square
- London
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Covent Garden
- Charlotte Street
- Oxford Street
- Britain
- Moscow
- Germany
- Berlin
- France
- Spain
Sources
- Artlyst —
- FAD Magazine —