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National Museum Cardiff presents Sir Peter Blake illustrations of Under Milk Wood

The National Museum Cardiff presents Sir Peter Blake illustrations of Under Milk Wood in an exhibition on view 23 November 2013 – 16 March 2014. This major body of work is the culmination of a 25-year project and is exhibited for the very first time.

Collage © Sir Peter Blake
Collage © Sir Peter Blake
The show includes portraits of each of the characters in the cast, watercolours of the dream sequences and collages and paintings of scenes and locations in the fictional village of Llareggub.

Blake’s illustration of Dylan Thomas’s ‘play for voices’ is one of his longest ongoing projects. He continues to illustrate characters, dreams, scenes and locations.

A longtime admirer of Dylan Thomas, the artist has always been fascinated by the radio play and remembers first hearing Under Milk Wood while at the Royal College.

The exhibition features portraits drawn in black and white pencil on tinted paper, watercolors illustrating the dream sequences in the play, ‘narratives and locations’ in a mix of media including collage, and photographs that Blake took himself in Laugharne in the 1970s.

Peter Blake emerged as a key figure of the Pop Art movement of the late 1950s and his early paintings include imagery from advertisements, music hall, entertainment, and wrestlers, often including collaged elements.

Throughout his career he has engaged with popular culture and especially the music industry.

This exhibition is a celebration and an exploration of Dylan Thomas’s most enduring work, and a platform for related events including a special evening lecture, readings, a performance and a programme of learning activities for formal educational groups.

More information: www.museumwales.ac.uk