During the latter half of 2016, the Manx Museum held a highly successful three month exhibition by the acclaimed artist Roger Dean, perhaps most well known for his iconic album cover designs for Yes, Asia, Uriah Heep and Osibisa plus the original Virgin Records logo.

The art and works of Roger Dean are included in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum and in discerning private collections around the world.

The Isle of Man exhibition, entitled “Islands and Bridges”, included 26 of his most well known paintings, plus some of the architectural models on which his unique building designs are based.

At the same time, the Isle of Man post office released a set of six unique stamps featuring five of his album cover artworks, plus a sixth painting, The Meeting Place, inspired by Niarbyl where Roger had visited on one of his recent visits to the Island. Roger hosted several sessions at the exhibition with local artists and students of all ages and the visitors included many who had travelled to the Island especially to view the collection.

The exhibition closed in November and the paintings travelled on to other exhibitions in the UK, Singapore and Miami. However, a number of the original pieces plus sketches and prints returned to the Island in late December to the Sayle Gallery so that for the first time they would be available for purchase in the Isle of Man. There is a continuous display at the Sayle Gallery in Douglas, supported by the Sleepwell Hotel group.

Interest in Roger’s work from Island residents has continued and now four of his paintings, Pathways at Night (from the YES Progeny album set), plus two studies created for the Moody Blues guitarist John Lodge as the cover design for Natural Avenues and a further study, Space Tree, have been acquired by Island resident art collectors at their catalogue valuations. These have gone into a private collection on the Island.

Three further major works, plus a range of local interest edition prints currently remain on exhibition at the Sayle Gallery, which has become the established location on the Isle of Man for original works and fine art prints by Roger Dean. Roger is also continuing to develop architectural projects for clients on the Island including both residential and holiday village concepts.