Photo: Peter helps Daddy. Illustration by Martin Aitchison. Picture courtesy of Towner Art Gallery.
Student journalists have taken over the site... read on to see what they're getting up to.
Making sure he'd helped his dad mow the lawn, Tom Briggs skipped to the Towner to see this nostalgic show, which is on until May 30.
The Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne has opened a new season of contemporary artwork exploring the theme of 'the domestic' with an exhibition dedicated to the paintings featured in Ladybird books.
Ladybird has been publishing children’s books since the 1940s, including such popular series a People at Work and of course, everybody’s favourite siblings, Peter and Jane.
The pictures in the books have continually shared magnitude with the words and are arguably what make the pocket-sized publications collectors’ items today.
Photo: "Here is Peter, Here is Jane." Illustration by Martin Aitchison. Picture courtesy of of Towner Art Gallery.
A trip to the gallery marks the start of a nostalgic stumble down memory lane for many visitors, as works by two particular artists closely associated with Ladybird, John Berry and Martin Aitchison, represent British family life during the 1960s and 70s.
Exhibition Co-ordinator, Charlie Batchelor, reports an impressive amount of positive feedback: "It’s amazing how much it triggers in people", she says. "People haven’t given them away and seem to keep them for their inherent aesthetics".
Wandering through the exhibition, the attention to detail and level of realism in the paintings rapidly becomes evident. From the inside of an engine in a People at Work book to a very familiar tin of golden syrup being used by Peter and Jane, the subjects are intricate and instantly recognisable.
To help visitors appreciate the attention to detail in the pictures, there are several display cabinets containing original books and their images.
Photo: The Architect. Illustration by John Berry. Picture courtesy of Towner Art Gallery.
A good balance of the contrasting styles of the two artists is evident. Berry’s paintings demonstrate a more serious approach, while Aitchison’s efforts are bright and vivid. Interestingly, both were allowed to maintain their own artistic identities, even with varying interpretations of Peter and Jane.
The paintings on show illustrate a period of change between the 60s and 70s and there is an evolutionary feel to the whole exhibition.
There are also a handful of examples where a 1960s Peter and Jane scene has been recreated the following decade, with a clear change in fashion and attitudes.
It appears that, during the 1970s, Jane gained more prominence. Martin Aitchison once spoke of this and it can be seen in some of the paintings selected for display.
While the majority depict her helping Mother in the kitchen as Peter and Father do the inevitable male bonding, there are examples of Jane instructing Peter. One particular piece stands out. Jane has her own teashop and is undoubtedly in a position of power compared to her brother.
Photo: Jane has a teashop at home. Illustration by Martin Aitchison. Picture courtesy of Towner Art Gallery.
While there is a difference in style between the two artists, there remains the constant of family values. All the illustrations present the audience with a secure and happy middle-class Britain.
The exhibition is child-friendly and includes an activity room where younger visitors can try emulating the works on display, dress-up, or read Ladybird books.
In this room, pictures are displayed at child’s height, as are many of the display cabinets throughout the gallery.
Of interest to more nostalgic visitors is the fact that many of the original pieces are available to buy, and that a limited number of prints of two of the paintings will also be available from next week (April 26th).
