<p>Attendees were treated to a public lecture from Chair of <a href="http://www.robertlenkiewicz.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Robert Lenkiewicz Foundation</a> Francis Mallett, titled ‘Robert Lenkiewicz and Post-War British Art’. Francis discussed Robert as an artist and his lasting legacy in Plymouth and beyond, before a drinks reception amongst the collection in the Plymouth College of Art library.</p>

<p>The event marks the generous donation from the Lenkiewicz Foundation of approximately 3,500 books from Robert Lenkiewicz's personal collection. This collection of books old and new are on long term loan to the college for the next five years and will reside in the silent study section of the library.</p> <p>Anna Navas, a spokesperson for the Lenkiewicz Foundation said, “The Lenkiewicz Foundation is delighted that the Art History collection from Lenkiewicz’ private library has found a home at Plymouth College of Art. We hope the books will be used and enjoyed by the students for many years to come.”</p> <p>Robert Lenkiewicz (1941–2002) worked within ‘Projects’: large-scale exhibitions of paintings and research notes related to sociological issues. His themes – vagrancy, mental handicap, old age, suicide, death – sought to illuminate the lives of those he called “the invisible people”.</p>

<p>In other Projects –- with themes of falling in love, jealousy, orgasm, and obsessive attraction – Lenkiewicz looked at “addictive behaviour” of various kinds. Observing that intense attractions tended to make fanatics of us all, he concluded that the origins of obsessional relationships and fanatical belief systems shared a physiological cause.' (The Lenkiewicz Foundation)</p> <p>The college are grateful to The Lenkiewicz Foundation for the generous donation of this collection of books, which will form part of the College’s study collection for all our students and staff to enjoy and research.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/resources" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Explore the wide range of facilities available to staff and students across the college</a></li></ul>