Fairy Tales: Charles Blackman inspired by the visual imagery of Lewis Carroll

Charles Blackman first encountered 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland' (1865) and its sequel 'Through the Looking-Glass', and 'What Alice Found There' (1872) through his wife Barbara, a writer and poet whose progressive blindness led her to listen to recordings of the stories read by BBC announcer Robin Holmes. Inspired by the visual imagery produced by Carroll’s whimsical wordplay (rather than the book’s famous illustrations by John Tenniel, which the artist had not seen), Blackman began to draw parallels between Alice’s nonsensical and unpredictable encounters and the real-world challenges he and his wife faced as a young couple. In addition to Barbara’s failing eyesight, an impending baby and changes in their financial circumstances influenced the development of Blackman’s series of 41 paintings.
Shown in ‘Fairy Tales’ are three works from the series: 'The Blue Alice' 1956, which sees Alice (Barbara) and the White Rabbit (Blackman) being wed by the story’s Dormouse; 'Feet beneath the table' 1956, which depicts a pregnant Barbara surrounded by cups and a teapot (in the vein of the ‘Mad Tea-Party’), melded with objects from Blackman’s working life as a short‑order cook; while 'Drink Me' 1956 draws a wry parallel between Alice’s encounters with liquids and the medicines prescribed to Barbara for pregnancy-related heartburn. The integration of the Blackmans’ personal experiences with those of Alice offers a whimsical transformation of the tale from fiction to reality.
‘Through the Looking Glass’ - the second major theme of the 'Fairy Tales' exhibition - brings together art, film and design that embrace exploratory stories of fantastical parallel worlds.
The ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) explores our fascination with this much-loved genre through a multifaceted telling of these tales in art, film and design. ‘Fairy Tales‘ unfolds across three themed chapters. ‘Into the Woods’ which explores the conventions and characters of traditional fairy tales alongside their contemporary retellings. ‘Through the Looking Glass’ presents newer tales of parallel worlds that are filled with unexpected ideas and paths. ‘Ever After’ brings together classic and current tales to celebrate aspirations, challenge convention and forge new directions.
WHERE
Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
WHEN
2 December 2023 - 28 April 2024 / 10.00AM - 5.00PM
DELVE DEEPER
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Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) Brisbane Australia
© Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees, 2024
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