Art of Sophie: Boyfriend of murdered Goth opens exhibition

The artist boyfriend of a young woman murdered for her Goth appearance will exhibit his paintings to raise funds for an anti-hatred foundation set up in her name.

Sophie Lancaster, 20, was kicked to death in 2007 by teenagers after she begged them to stop beating her boyfriend Robert Maltby in a park in Bacup, Lancashire.

Mr Maltby, who was badly injured in the attack, has since produced 15 paintings partly inspired by Ms Lancaster. The canvasses, created with a combination of acrylic and inks, will go on show at Afflecks in Manchester to raise funds for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Click here or on the image above to see images from the exhibition

The exhibition ‘Crimson Iris: The Art of Sophie’ was so-named because “even though the iris is a symbol of faith, hope and wisdom, the unnatural colour symbolises violence, anger and danger.”

The paintings, a range of still lifes and portraits, often featuring men and women dressed conservatively in suits, show influences of the German expressionist movement.

Mr Maltby says the exhibition tells a story: “The collection is a riddle, whereby each [painting] makes individual sense. But it is only when they are all together that the story is in some way visible.”

Ryan Herbert, 16, from Bacup and Brendan Harris, 15, also from Bacup were convicted of murdering Ms Lancaster in April 2008 and sentenced to 16 and 18-year minimum jail terms respectively.

Three other teenagers - Joseph, 17, and Danny Hulme, 16, both of Whitworth, near Bacup, and Daniel Mallet, 17, of Bacup - were convicted of attacking Mr Maltby, but didn’t take part in the attack on Ms Lancaster.

‘Crimson Iris: The Art of Sophie’ opens to the public on the 3rd June and will be on show at Afflecks throughout June.

www.sophielancasterfoundation.com