Art by Former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe in East Hampton

Original Beatles bassist Stuart Sutcliffe joined the legendary band in May of 1960, but left just over a year later in July of 1961. The musician had decided to focus on painting and making art, which was his first love. Unfortunately, Sutcliffe’s career was cut short when he died of a brain aneurysm at age 21 in April of 1962, but he left behind a large body of work and an enduring artistic legacy that remains vibrant more than 50 years later.

The late artist’s sister and Hamptons resident Pauline Sutcliffe is continuing that legacy as representative of the Stuart Sutcliffe Estate, and she’s released a lovely selection of her brother’s works for exhibition this summer at Harper’s Books in East Hampton. The show, Stuart Sutcliffe: Yea Yea Yea, is curated by iconic artist and Hamptonite Richard Prince, and will feature 21 paintings and works on paper in Sutcliffe’s gestural, abstract style, using paint, drawing materials and collage.

Opening August 10, Stuart Sutcliffe: Yea Yea Yea is the first U.S. retrospective of this artist and musician’s work since 2001.

Find out more at harpersbooks.com and right here on DansPapers.com in the coming weeks.