Tales from the Riverbank
The Wind in the Willows inspires new art exhibition
Cromwell Place, London SW7
10 – 15 October 2023
An exhibition of contemporary art inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows will display over 20 works fromartists such as Stanley Donwood, Malene Hartmann Rasmussen and Charlie Billingham.
Tales from the Riverbank will bring together works from leading British-based contemporary artists, working in photography, ceramics, painting and drawing, that explore the iconography and themes that have made The Wind in the Willows such a celebrated and significant text.
Over one hundred years since its publication The Wind in the Willows has grown in stature as a masterpiece of literature, and continues to inspire a range of multimedia adaptations and interpretations. The familiar story of Ratty and Mole’s precarious friendship with Toad, set in a recognisable yet other-worldly Britain with Edwardian-dressed animals boating on winding rivers and driving ‘motorcars’ down country lanes, has been cemented as a British classic.
Kenneth Grahame's novel is also imbued with issues still pertinent today, such as the perils of technology in a rapidly advancing world, the comfort of nature and wildness, the destructive power of greed and privilege, as well as themes of illicit behaviour, uncontrolled obsession, forbidden love, and incarceration. As with J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, there is an underlying context of tragedy – Grahame’s son Alastair, the intended reader, took his own life at the age of 20.
Deep literary references abound too. The chapter detailing Ratty, Mole and Badger laying siege to Toad Hall and throwing out the usurping proletariat weasels is invokingly titled The Return of Ulysses. At one point in the story the characters meet Pan, referred to as the ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’, and proceed to worship at the feet of the pagan God. The image of Pan was used for the front cover of the very first edition, the beginning of many visual interpretations and efforts to explore the world of the novel.
Stanley Donwood (b.1968) is well known for his Grammy award-winning artwork that has accompanied Radiohead’s output since the early 1990s, as well as producing paintings, drawings and prints addressing socio-political issues. Many of his works draw on the geographical features of forests, mountains and rivers, and the exhibition will feature the dark canopies of his woodland drawings.
Charlie Billingham (b.1984) uses imagery from 18 th - and early 19 th -century satirical prints and drawings, recomposed through processes of cropping and collage to create new compositions for his paintings, where Regency and Georgian figures are reimagined for modern audiences. This mixing for uncanny effect is also a key component of The Wind in the Willows, where creatures are given the full regalia of Edwardian dress. On display will be Billingham’s tobacco-smoking toads, showing the possibilities of satire through anthropomorphic creation.
Ceramicist Malene Hartman Rasmussen (b.1973) also imagines anthropomorphic creatures, from bears to insects and arachnids, as part of a career that encompasses a residency at the V&A Museum. The visual story that the British-based Danish artist works with is often based in nature, especially the flora and fauna that populate woodland habitats. On display will be one of Rasmussen’s Viper weave, a bed of interconnected snake bodies, reminiscent of weaving techniques as the title suggests, and also of the flowing ripples of a river. Like Grahame’s novel, Viper weave explores myth, animism and wildness.
Rupert Muldoon (b.1981) creates landscapes, specifically river paintings, using his own distinct method in the now rare medium of egg tempera. Brushstrokes of blue and yellow capture the light of the riverways at the start and end of the day. The river is an important catalyst for the events of the novel, and Muldoon is one of the most exciting contemporary artists capable of capturing the spirit of water.
The prison episode in The Wind in the Willows sees Toad’s vivacious pursuit of his passion lead him to the dank and depressing confines of incarceration. Photographer Gina Soden (b.1985) documents abandoned and derelict buildings in various places across Europe and her series taken at Reading Gaol will be on display, particularly significant as it includes images of Oscar Wilde’s cell. As well as contributing to the British periodical The Yellow Book, which is somehow entwined with Wilde, Grahame himself has been the focus of speculation regarding his own sexual identity. The Wind in the Willows is often noted as a celebration of male companionship and Toad’s highly privileged, free-wheeling behaviour and dandy-like interests that bring him into conflict with Edwardian law are reminiscent of the moral debates that occurred at the time.
There is something utterly charming about the intimate friendship of the book’s four protagonists and their constant co-dependent attempts to maintain a dying way of life while protecting their vulnerable friend. Of course, this is unsustainable. Up and coming artist Zach Toppin (b.1987), in theirdebut gallery show, brings work that addresses the characters’ vulnerability and hints at the futility of their situation.
The exhibition will also feature work by musician and artist Keaton Henson (b.1988), whose drawings and paintings conjure up mystical dream worlds lurking under the surface of British suburbia. Henson also brings a personal connection to the show as his grandfather, comedian Leslie Henson, famously portrayed Toad in some of the first stage dramatisations of the story. His artwork follows this theme, with a depiction of an anthropomorphic toad brimming with toxic masculinity and seemingly in despair.
The exhibition has been created by TIN MAN ART and is curated by its Director James Elwes, who says:
“Deeply complex, this book celebrates nature, wildness and pagan gods while simultaneously expressing fear of these things. Each artist contributes their own chapter to this story; endowing it with diverse, personal perspectives and unique visualisations that show how important art is in understanding our evolving culture, psychology, politics and history.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES FOR MEDIA USE CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE {BRERA TO ADD}
Hell Lane (2019), Stanley Donwood
Dawn Pipers (2023), Charlie Billingham
Viper Weave (2023), Malene Hartmann Rasmussen
Tales from the Riverbank is presented by TIN MAN ART
4 Cromwell Place, London SW7 2JE
Public Opening Hours:
- Tues 10 October, 11am – 6pm
- Weds 11 October 11am - 7pm
- Thurs 12 October, 11am – 7pm
- Fri 13 October, 11am – 7pm
- Sat 14 October, 11am – 7pm
- Sun 15 October, 11am – 4pm
To book or to make enquiries please visit: www.tinmanart.com
Curated playlist by James Elwes inspired by the book: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0wG3Q0X4jLeeYMEZYl9Rom?si=5QTSFgVzQ5OL2alGGQRhZA
About the artists:
Charlie Billingham (b. 1984) studied Fine Art and History of Art at Edinburgh College of Art and The University of Edinburgh and then at The Royal Academy Schools, London. He uses imagery from Georgian and Regency era satirical prints and drawings as starting points for his paintings. Through cropping and collaging, he removes the original narratives, isolating particular moments, gestures and expressions to create new compositions. Out of their original context, the paintings give new and ambiguous interpretations and are often hung on hand painted and printed wall designs, which he creates using stamps made from his watercolours.
Stanley Donwood (b. 1968) was born in Essex, England. He studied English Literature & Fine Art at the University of Exeter where he first met Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke. The lifelong collaboration between band and artist was initiated when Yorke asked Donwood to contribute art for Radiohead’s original My Iron Lung EP (1994). Donwood’s paintings, drawings and prints address socio-political issues, often employing an element of satire. He has been the official artist of the Glastonbury music festival since 2002 and has won two Grammys for his artwork for Radiohead’s albums Amnesiac and In Rainbows. Donwood's art has been the subject of a book, There Will Be No Quiet (2019), published by Thames & Hudson. He has written and illustrated several books of short stories, including Humor (Faber, 2014). He has exhibited at galleries internationally. He lives and works in Brighton, England.
Malene Hartman Rasmussen (b. 1973). Malene Hartmann Rasmussen studied at the Royal Danish Academy in her native Denmark before relocating to London and receiving an MA at Royal College of Art in 2011. She has exhibited in numerous exhibitions in the United Kingdom and abroad including at Vehbi Koç Foundation, Mesher, Turkey; Michelangelo Foundation, Italy, Fondation Bernardaud, France and CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark. In 2018 she was awarded a residency at the Victoria & Albert Museum, where she produced a body of work inspired by the oeuvre of sixteenth century French potter, Bernard Palissy.
Keaton Henson (b. 1988) is a musician, poet and visual artist from England. He has released seven studio albums to date. He has played sold out shows in cathedrals, museums and concert halls around the world, as well as premiering his orchestral works in venues like The Barbican, Sydney Opera House, and the National Concert Hall Dublin. As a poet and visual artist he has released 5 books and exhibited his work around the world. His work in all mediums in known for its brutal honesty, deep introspection and at times dark humour. He is noted for his introverted nature and rarely does press or engages with social media.
Rupert Muldoon (b. 1981). Muldoon paints using the ancient medium of Egg Tempera – exactly as in Uccello’s day; yet his paintings seem a momentary capture of wind and clouds on leaves and water. Muldoon’s technique of building paint up in scores of transparent layers, each new stroke allowing the previous one to show through, results in effects that seem vitreous or enamelled. And yet his forms are always suggestive of movement and fugitive effects of light. On their own terms, they are entirely believable: even when the forms are completely abstract, they seem arboreal or aquatic. Recently the subjects of his paintings have become, in both senses of the word, more reflective, and the spirit of place has grown stronger.
Gina Soden (b. 1985) At the heart of Gina Soden’s photography is a preoccupation with abandoned structures and locations. Based in London, she travels widely to undisclosed sites throughout Europe and explores the boundaries of beauty, decay, nostalgia and neglect. The genesis of each piece is often the unique architectural character of each location, heightened by their painfully slow transformation after years of abandonment.
Zach Toppin (1987) is a London based multidisciplinary artist. They studied Art History at Edinburgh and fine art at Camberwell College of Arts. At surface delicate and subtle, Toppin's work is rich in narrative, symbolism and cultural reference and weaves together important stories about emotions, gender, sex and love. An exciting new voice on the London art scene, Toppin's work speaks with sophistication and strength, amplified by technical skill.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS AND IMAGES
Tracy Jones, Brera PR – tracy@brera-london.com / 01702 216658 / 07887 514984 / www.brera-london.com
