Nobel laureate Bob Dylan’s artwork in major London show

The timing couldn’t be better for the opening of “The Beaten Path,” a major exhibit of Bob Dylan’s artworks at the Halcyon Gallery on London’s pricey New Bond Street.

Worldwide interest in the veteran American troubadour has soared after his surprising choice as this year’s winner of the Nobel Prize in literature and the show is one of the most extensive displays ever mounted of his drawings, watercolors, acrylics and ironworks.

The 75-year-old singer has said he will accept the Nobel in person in Stockholm if he can fit it into his demanding tour schedule — and the gallery hopes he will stop off in London to visit the show.

“He obviously comes whenever he decides,” said gallery president Paul Green, who knows it would be fruitless to press the elusive Dylan for a certain date. “We don’t know whether he will come. We hope he will. He’s been deeply involved in every aspect of this exhibition.”

The extensive exhibit reflects growing appreciation for Dylan’s art, which has been featured in gallery and museum shows in a number of countries in recent years.

The paintings at the London gallery reflect Dylan’s nearly constant travels throughout the United States on the “never ending tour” that has consumed the last two decades of his life. The choice of subject matter reflects a deep affinity for the American scene, an abiding affection for its curious roadside attractions and respect for its industrial might.