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Latest News from the Archibald Knox Society

The Archibald Knox Society has celebrated another very successful year with in excess of 37,000 visits to the society’s website within the past twelve months from all over the world. Chairman and founder of the Archibald Knox Society Liam O’Neill said, “This is bringing the legacy of Archibald Knox to an ever increasing number of people of all nationalities”.

A recent innovation has been to move their online purchasing to Connect2Charity with the security of global payments bringing confidence to interested purchasers.

The Archibald Knox Society annual newsletter (free to members) also keeps everyone up to date with important international trends in all aspects of Knox’s work, highlighting the various activities organised by the society. Also available is the second volume of the Archibald Knox Society Journal, an informative academic publication available at the Manx Museum and online from the Archibald Knox Society.

But the highlight for many has been the presentation of the Arts Awards, giving the opportunity for many of the society’s members to be more involved in society activities, including acting as judges at exhibitions in Manx secondary schools. Twelve Archibald Knox Art Certificates were presented together with £600 in prize money. The society also organised the Norman Sayle prize for art in conjunction with the Isle of Man Post Office at the Isle of Man College, awarding three certificates and prizes of £300.

Expressions of interest have also been invited from artists who may wish to be involved in an exciting project to commemorate Knox at the site of the former family home on Athol Street, Douglas. This exciting development is being progressed in conjunction with the Douglas Development Partnership who will be working closely with the Archibald Knox Society, the Isle of Man Arts Council, Dixcart Management (IOM) Limited and Douglas Borough Council. It is hoped that the winning design will give further recognition to the work of Knox and his association with the town of Douglas.

Meanwhile on the 23rd June noted auctioneers Woolley & Wallis will be selling a number of items made by Knox at their Salisbury salerooms. A diverse range of objects they form part of a collection belonging to the late Barbara Morris, author, collector and socialist who helped organise the seminal centenary Liberty exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1975, and wrote the first reference work on ‘Liberty Design’.

www.archibaldknoxsociety.com

Valerie Caine © June 2010

Photo courtesy of Manx National Heritage