Maggi Hambling’s works in watercolor and ink on paper find their genesis in the turbulent storm waters off the Suffolk coast—the landscape of her birth and her enduring home. Hovering on the thin event horizon between representation and absolute abstraction, these graphic works powerfully channel the crushing, visceral energy of the sea while simultaneously meditating on mortality and the fragility of human existence. As Hambling profoundly notes: "If the sea eating away at the coast is time, then I identify with that coast."
For the 2026 edition of Artissima’s Disegni section, the exhibition presents a rare, curated selection of watercolor and ink drawings from Hambling’s acclaimed and ongoing Wall of Water cycle. These masterworks, capturing violent explosions of water inspired by the sight of waves fracturing against a manmade sea wall, were originally conceived in the profound wake of losing a close friend. The fluid unpredictability of watercolor paired with the decisive, structural marks of ink serves as the ultimate medium to capture the fleeting, untamable nature of water.
Reflecting on the vital force that drives these hauntingly beautiful graphic works, Hambling remarks: "I feel younger now than I ever did when I was young. I seem to be painting more freely... I’m trying to paint death with as much life as I can." Conceived specifically for Artissima Disegni, this presentation highlights the raw immediacy of Hambling’s practice, anchoring her monumental vision within the contemporary dialogue of drawing and works on paper.
