David Robilliard: Welcome to the Friendly Isle

Guernsey Museums & Galleries in association with Guernsey Arts are delighted to present David Robilliard: Welcome to the Friendly Isle, a new temporary exhibition at Guernsey Museum at Candie, running from Saturday 18^th October until Wednesday 31st December 2025.

Local-born David Robilliard has had exhibitions across the globe and today his artwork is part of both national and international gallery collections including the Tate Modern. Yet despite this success many islanders have never heard of him.

Described by his mother as a "caged bird" in Guernsey, David moved to London in 1975 to pursue a career in poetry which soon flourished into an exploration of art, sexuality and life. His first published book of poetry and first exhibition of his artwork both happened in 1984 which subsequently saw David's career thrive. In 1988 during the height of the UK's AIDS epidemic David contracted HIV and died later the same year, tragically cutting short both his life and his creative journey.

In 2023 the documentary Life is Excellent, presented by actor Russel Tovey, was released and highlighted David's semi-obscure local status and the absence of any of his artwork in the island's museum art collection. Since then, Guernsey Museums & Galleries have worked hard behind the scenes to rectify this.

In 2024 Guernsey Museums & Galleries were able to add eight pieces of David's artwork to their permanent collection and are delighted to be able to celebrate David's local and international significance as a poet and contemporary artist. The Greenhouse Gallery, kindly curated by Guernsey Arts, will feature the newly acquired artworks whilst the museum foyer will provide a retrospective of David's life and career as well as his local legacy.

Museum Registrar and exhibition curator, Mike Lowe said:

"I'm really excited to finally be able to help share David Robilliard's artwork and poetry with the island through this exhibition. This has very much been a labour of love over the last couple of years. Along the way it's been amazing how many people have become involved in raising awareness of David on the island and how many people whose lives have been touched by his creativity have reached out and supported this.

Aside from helping give David the local recognition he deserves it's also about representation. As a young artist myself growing up on Guernsey in the 80s and 90s knowing about David and his work, his place in the LGBTQ+ community, the authenticity with which he lived his life and the resulting creative success he was able to achieve, would have been an inspiration. I hope that raising awareness of David's work and life now can feel relevant to and inspire both the local LGBTQ+ community and young artists alike. I also hope that his honest and unapologetic reflections on love and emotions will appeal to everyone."

Head of Arts Development at Guernsey Arts, Russ Fossey said:

"It is a privilege to be hosting David`s work in the Greenhouse gallery, and we applaud Guernsey Museums' commitment in recognising David and acquiring these pieces, for the people of Guernsey"  

About Guernsey Arts 

Guernsey Arts is a not-for-profit organisation which was established in 2008. It aims for the Bailiwick of Guernsey to be the most vibrant artistic community it can be, across all aspects of the arts. From photography and film to live music and theatre; from sculpture and visual arts to poetry and literary works, if it's an art form, the Guernsey Arts team is on hand to help Bailiwick projects and creatives reach their full potential. With the strapline Promote, Support, Inspire, the team aims for everyone, regardless of age or background to have access to the arts. Guernsey Arts are proud to be supporting the works of David Robilliard in his first solo exhibition with Guernsey Museums following exhibition inclusion in 2014.