Artist as Witness: The Impact of War features over 70 works by renowned and rarely seen artists, from WWI to Ukraine, with major national loans and highlights from private collections.
Works by Laura Knight, Paul Nash, Eric Ravilious and Graham Sutherland are among the paintings, drawings and sculptures on show as part of Artist as Witness: The Impact of War, a major new exhibition running at Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum until o Sunday 8 March 2026.
Featuring more than 70 artworks, from national, regional, private and Russell-Cotes’ own war art collection, the exhibition explores artists’ diverse responses to scenes from both World Wars and the war in Ukraine, as well as their aftermaths and impact on those caught up in them.
Several of the featured artists have strong links to Dorset. Paul Nash lived for a time in Swanage, and the sculpture Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat by Samuel William Ward Wallis was created while he was living in Parkstone, Dorset, using a soldier stationed nearby as his model.
Among the earliest works on show will be Amy Drucker’s ‘Air Raid Shelter’, painted in 1916 during one of the German bombing raids on London which began 110 years ago this year. It has echoes in the exhibition’s most recent content – the South West premiere of drawings from war-torn Ukraine by award winning artist George Butler.
Rarely seen works on show include ‘Evacuees Assist with the Hay Harvest’ by James Bateman – one of around 400 artists given commissions by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee (WAAC) – which has not been on public view for at least 40 years.
Visitors will also get the chance to see ‘Anti-Tank Ditch’ by Captain Albert Richards – another WAAC artist, mourned as a lost great talent after he was killed in a minefield explosion, aged 26, in 1945 while on a WAAC assignment.
Running alongside the exhibition from 8 to 17 November is Russell-Cotes Remembers, a poignant installation of paper poppies created by staff, volunteers, Friends of the Russell-Cotes, local community groups and visitors to the Arts by the Sea Festival 2025. The display commemorates Armistice and invites reflection on the power of collective remembrance and creativity.
This exhibition is being curated by art historian and author Dr Gill Clarke. She says:
“The works selected from both well and lesser-known artists provide a compelling and timely picture of the bitter realities of war as witnessed both on the home front and overseas. Their powerful and stylistically varied responses vividly portray the impact of conflicts past and present – on victims and survivors, combatants and civilians and on the artists themselves.”
Sarah Newman, Museum Manager at the Russell-Cotes says:
“This powerful exhibition brings together extraordinary works of art that tell stories of conflict and its impact that span more than a century. We’re proud to share these stories, which speak to shared experience of loss, resilience and hope.”
A fully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition by Dr Clarke incorporating George Butler’s drawings is being published by Sansom and Company to coincide with the exhibition’s opening and is available now. Dr Gill Clarke will also be running tours of the exhibition on Tuesday 5 November.
Russell-Cotes opening times are 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays. Admission to the Russell-Cotes, including the exhibition, costs £9.50 with generous discounts or free entry for families, carers, under 18s and certain state benefit recipients. Entry to café and café gallery is free.