For nearly three decades, Clinton Pugh has lived with a remarkable piece of art history quietly hanging on his walls. Long before Sacha Jafri became one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists, Pugh recognised something rare in the young painter’s work: an emotional depth and maturity that stayed with him from the very first encounter. Now, after 28 years in his private collection, Pugh is bringing these early Jafri works into public view for the first time through Chiaroscuro, a new purpose-led gallery supporting addiction recovery across the UK.
But this is more than the story of a significant sale. It is also a story about instinct, stewardship, and the personal power of living with art over time. In choosing to release the paintings through an initiative that gives back, Pugh is allowing the works to take on a new life, one that extends beyond artistic legacy into social impact. As Chiaroscuro opens its inaugural exhibition in London, he reflects on what first drew him to Jafri’s paintings, what they have meant to his family over the years, and why this felt like the right moment to let them go.
You have lived with these early Sacha Jafri works for nearly three decades. What first drew you to them in 1998, and what did you see in the work before the rest of the world caught on?
What is interesting is that Sacha was the one who found me. Call it destiny, if you will, but from the moment I first saw the paintings, I fell in love with them. There was already a real maturity and depth in the work, which is unusual for someone so young. They weren’t simple or obvious pieces. You could keep looking at them and always find something new. That is what held my attention from the start.
At the time, Sacha Jafri was still an emerging artist. Did you have a sense then that you were witnessing the beginning of something extraordinary, or was your connection to the work more instinctive than calculated?
It never crossed my mind in those terms. I don’t buy art thinking about what it might become or what it might be worth. If I like looking at something, that’s enough for me. It was completely instinctive. I simply connected with the paintings and wanted to live with them.
These paintings have been part of your private world for 28 years. How has your relationship with them evolved over time, both as artworks and as personal objects within your family life?
They have brought us a huge amount of pleasure over the years. They’ve always been there, quietly part of our home. In a way, they are like a view that changes depending on your mood, or a favourite piece of music you never get tired of. You notice different things at different times, and they grow with you.
You describe the works as having brought joy to you and your family for decades. What is it about these particular pieces that has made them so enduring for you emotionally?
They have layers upon layers, almost like rooms within rooms. You can get lost in them. There’s a sense of a journey in the paintings, as if a story is unfolding. That depth keeps them interesting and makes you want to return to them again and again.
Because these are among Jafri’s earliest known works, they hold a special place in his artistic story. What has it meant to you to be the custodian of such an important part of that journey?
At the time, I didn’t think of it like that at all. I was just fortunate that Sacha walked into my restaurant, The Grand Café, and asked if I would show the work. No one could have predicted how important these early paintings would become. Looking back, I feel lucky to have played a small part in that early stage.
There is something quite moving about releasing works you have lived with for so long. Was this an easy decision, or did it take time to feel ready to let them go?
It’s not easy. It feels quite strange knowing they won’t be on our walls anymore. But we are downsizing our home, and I don’t want to put them into storage. Paintings like these should be seen and enjoyed. That made the decision clearer, even if it is still emotional.
Why did now feel like the right moment to bring these paintings into public view, and why was it important that the sale serve a wider social purpose?
This moment felt right because of where we are in life, but also because of Sacha’s example. He has always used his work to support charitable causes, and that is something I really admire. It felt natural to follow that lead.
In my own life, especially through the restaurant business, I’ve seen how addiction affects people. It’s something very real and very damaging. My own mother struggled with alcoholism, so it is also personal for me. Supporting a cause like addiction recovery gives this sale a meaning beyond simply selling paintings.
Your admiration for Sacha Jafri clearly goes beyond his talent as an artist. How much did that shared sense of purpose influence your decision?
A great deal. Seeing what Sacha has achieved, not just as an artist but in helping others, has been inspiring. It made me think more about how these works could do something positive beyond my own enjoyment of them.
These works were created during Jafri’s formative years at the Ruskin School of Art and are said to reflect influences such as Franz Kafka. What strikes you most when you look at them now, knowing where his career has gone since?
You can see that he was already a very special and thoughtful young man. The depth was there from the beginning. It’s clear now that those early ideas and emotions were the foundation for everything that followed.
There is a fascinating contrast between the intimacy of privately living with art and the very public life these works are about to enter. How do you feel about audiences encountering them for the first time?
I’m pleased. They’ve been part of our private world for a long time, so it’s nice to think that others will now have the chance to experience them and enjoy them in their own way.
The art world often focuses on value in financial terms, but your story with these paintings feels much more personal. How do you define their value after nearly 30 years in your care?
I never bought them thinking about value in financial terms. Their value to me has always been in living with them and enjoying them. The fact that they now have financial value is really down to Sacha’s achievements. I’ve just been fortunate to have had them.
In choosing to sell them in support of addiction recovery, do you feel the works are taking on a new meaning or purpose beyond their original creation?
Yes, in a way. It feels like a continuation of Sacha’s spirit, using art to help others. That gives the sale a different kind of importance.
What do you hope collectors or viewers understand when they encounter these pieces, not just about Sacha Jafri’s beginnings, but about why you chose to release them in this way?
I think people will be surprised by the maturity of the work, especially knowing how young he was when he created it. There is a depth there that you don’t often see at that stage.
Looking back, do you think there is something powerful about holding onto art until the right cultural or emotional moment reveals itself?
Not really. I’ve always just bought art that I love. If these paintings were smaller, I would probably keep them. There wasn’t a grand plan behind it.
The story of these works is not only about artistic history, but also about trust, timing, and stewardship. Do you see yourself as someone who preserved these paintings until they were ready for a second life?
I suppose, in a way. They’ve been part of our family for nearly 29 years, and I’m a bit surprised they’ve made it this far. Now that they are seen as historically important, I’m happy to pass them on and share that responsibility.
How important is it to you that this sale helps spark conversation around addiction recovery, and the role creativity can play in transformation?
Extremely important. It’s a cause that is very personal to me. My mother struggled badly with alcoholism after a difficult time in her life, and I’ve seen similar issues in the catering industry. It’s something that affects many people, often quietly.
We all know someone who has been lost to addiction. If this can help even a few people, then it’s worthwhile. A portion of the proceeds will go towards The Dynamo Project, which supports people through recovery, and I hope it makes a real difference.
When these works leave your collection, what do you think you will miss most: the paintings themselves, the memories attached to them, or what they have quietly represented over the years?
Simply looking at them. They’ve been part of everyday life for so long.
What did Sacha Jafri’s work have then that so many young artists spend a lifetime trying to find: identity, ambition, or emotional depth?
Emotional depth, without question. That was there from the very beginning.
Did the fact that these works could now help others through Chiaroscuro make the decision to part with them feel less like a loss and more like a continuation?
Very much so. It turns it into something positive. It doesn’t feel like an ending. It feels like the paintings are continuing their journey in a different way.
Chiaroscuro will launch with a four-day exhibition from Thursday 23rd – 26th April at 3 Paddington Street, Marylebone, London.
For further information about Chiaroscuro go to chiaroscuroart.gallery. Follow@chiaro_scuro_gallery on Instagram.
