Conroy Maddox facts for kids

Conroy Maddox (born December 27, 1912 – died January 14, 2005) was an English Surrealist artist. He was a painter, made collages, wrote, and gave talks. Conroy Maddox was a very important person in the Birmingham Surrealist art group.

He was born in a town called Ledbury in Herefordshire, England. In 1935, he discovered surrealism, which is an art movement that explores dreams and imagination. For the rest of his life, he used surrealism in his paintings, collages, photographs, and writings. Artists like Max Ernst, Óscar Domínguez, and Salvador Dalí inspired him. He didn't like traditional art. Instead, he preferred art that showed a rebellious and imaginative spirit. Maddox officially joined the British Surrealist Group in 1938.

His artwork soon started to challenge how people usually saw reality. His art pushed the boundaries of what paintings could express. During World War II, some people misunderstood his art. The police (called Scotland Yard) even thought his paintings might contain secret messages. They searched his home to look for these messages. This was a big misunderstanding because his art was just very unusual and not what people expected.

After the war, he moved to Balsall Heath and created a lot of art during this time. In 1948, he married Nan Burton. They had a daughter and a son. Their marriage ended in 1955. Conroy Maddox passed away in London when he was 92 years old.

Art Exhibitions

Conroy Maddox's art was shown in many places during his life. Here are some of the important exhibitions where people could see his unique work:

• 1938 - Wertheim Gallery, London
• 1940 - London Gallery, London
• 1947 - International Surrealist Exhibition, Paris
• 1949 - Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Galleries
• 1963 - Grabowski Gallery, London
• 1973 - Hamet Gallery, London
• 1978 - Surrealism Unlimited, Camden Arts Centre, London
• 2000 - Surrealism in Birmingham 1935-1955, Birmingham Museums
• 2001 - Conroy Maddox. A Surrealist Odyssey, Belgrave Gallery, London