Exhibition of work from an ‘adopted son’ of Liverpool opens

An exhibition of stunning artwork from an ‘adopted son’ of Liverpool has opened.

Jamie Reid was a punk artist who created the Sex Pistols’ legendary album artworks, including the cover of God Save the Queen. Originally from London, he lived in Liverpool for many years.

Jamie played a crucial role in the return of the The Florrie, a community centre in Dingle which had been closed for 10 years before reopening in 2012. He went on to open an exhibition of his artwork there in 2016 and was a constant supporter of the charity’s work in providing foodbanks and leisure space to the community.

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Jamied died in Liverpool last August, aged 76. Paying tribute at the time, Tommy Calderbank, a friend of Jamie and fellow Florrie campaigner, said: "It’s hard to know what to say, really. Jamie wasn’t just one of the most important artists of modern times, he was also our dear, dear friend. A big believer in people power, he’d been involved in the campaign to save The Florrie almost from the start, and was part of the furniture here.”

He added: “His uncompromising radicalism never left him, to his last breath, nor his drive to make the world a better place through his art. To wake people up to the injustices and actually do something about them.

“Now our brother’s gone into the mystic, and our grief is the price we pay for loving him. His legacy is massive, and I know Liverpool will do something special to honour its adopted son. God Save Jamie Reid.”

Paying tribute on Instagram after his death, Jamie's daughter Rowan Reid said: "I lost the most important man in my life yesterday, to say I'm heartbroken is