Hockney's illustrations on show at River & Rowing Museum
9 February 2009
A striking exhibition of illustrations by David Hockney of six of the most gruesome fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm is coming to the River & Rowing Museum from 14 February – 15 March 2009. David Hockney: Grimm’s Fairy Tales is a Hayward Touring exhibition.
Hockney, considered one of the most influential British artists of the twentieth century, drew etchings onto copper plates between May and November 1969. Choosing not to illustrate the stories literally, Hockney chose vivid images to depict a mood or detail from the fairy tale. Whilst some of the prints are from infamous stories such as Rapunzel and Rumpelstilzchen, others like the Little Sea Hare, Old Rinkrank and Fundevogel are less well-known but equally gripping stories.
The tales Hockney illustrates are centuries old, told by parents to children through the ages, handed down generation-to-generation. Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm where captivated by such tales and spoke to peasants and aristocrats alike to collect these stories, and published the first volume called ‘Children’s Tales’ in 1812. Today, Grimm’s Fairy Tales are still read to children in countries around the world and have been made into Hollywood films.
Hockney based some of the etchings on images by Old Masters; the figures in Rapunzel are inspired by Breughel, Hieronymus Bosch and Uccello; a Carpaccio painting is the source of an illustration in the story of The Boy who left home to learn Fear; and the head of an old cook in Fundevogel is based on a Leonard da Vinci.
Hockney’s contemporary approach to the tales is reflected in the quirky nature of the images. Of Rapunzel he says “The stories really are quite mad, when you think of it, and quite strange. In modern times, it’s like the story of a couple moving into a house, and in the next door’s garden they see this lettuce growing: and the wife develops this craving for the lettuce that she just must have and climbs over to pinch it, and the old woman who lives in the house next door says well, you can have the lettuce if you give me your child, and they agree to it. And if you put it into terms like this and imagine them in their semi-detached house agreeing to it all, it seems incredible.”
Rachel Wragg, Senior Curator, River & Rowing Museum said: “Grimm’s Fairy tales are a global institution, with children all over the world being delighted by their magic and otherworldliness. Hockney’s prints are joyful, quirky, innovative and unforgettable. They provide imaginative and vivid translations of the stories through Hockney’s eyes. They also stand independent of the story, as works of art in their own right.
“The Hockney exhibition is a first for the River & Rowing Museum. It marks the start of an exciting year for us with exhibitions ranging from a new contemporary art installation by brook & black through to an exhibition on flooding in partnership with the Environment Agency.”
Visitors can enjoy the Museum all year round for the price of just one ticket. Entrance to the River & Rowing Museum is from £7.00 for adults and £5.00 for children. Each admission ticket provides FREE, unlimited entry to the Museum for 12 months from the date of the original purchase. Children three and under go free.