Press Office: Press Releases
Alice in Wonderland
Press release: 9 September 2010
Lewis Carroll’s classic stories, based around the figure of little Alice, have inspired over 150 years of artistic responses.
From Carroll’s original manuscript, written in 1864, through to contemporary painting, sculpture and installation, the exhibition
reflects the different ways in which the works
relate to the original and its protagonists. The references range from illustrations based closely on the text, to subtle
allusions and new interpretations.
The Alice stories pose important questions about individuality and self-knowledge, time and space, language and communication, and the relationship between reality and fiction. Thanks to Carroll’s own illustrations in his original manuscript, visualisation is an integral component of the story. The books’ famous characters - Alice, Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the grinning Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the Duchess, and the White Rabbit - have etched themselves into the collective memory.
After the publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in the 1865, artists and illustrators were quick to take note. Early
illustrations will be displayed as part of a ‘cabinet of curiosities.’ This initial section of the exhibition will provide
a rare opportunity to see Carroll’s pioneering photographic
portraits of the Liddell family and the art world of the 19th century, Victorian children’s games, wallpaper and textile design,
and moving images from the early 20th century, including some of Walt Disney’s first animated films.
A central section of the exhibition will be devoted to the Surrealists, who saw the Alice books as an opportunity to explore a fantastical, unreal world. This section will feature works by Max Ernst, René Magritte and Balthus among others.
From the 1960s onwards, pop artists took inspiration from the fascinating stories, while artists such as Duane Michaels used
them to explore the nature of reality. Established positions in fine art will rub shoulders with the virtuoso pop-up books
by Robert Sabuda, as well as the illustrated editions
by Peter Blake (1969) and Salvador Dali (1970).
The exhibition leads right up to the present day, with contemporary painting, sculpture and installation demonstrating the enduring appeal of Carroll’s stories. This includes works by Anna Gaskell, Mary Heilman, Sigmar Polke, Paula Rego, Kiki Smith and Diana Thater, among others.
The exhibition is conceived by Christoph Benjamin Schulz and curated by Peter Gorschlüter and Christoph Benjamin Schulz. The exhibition will be accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
or further information and images please contact the Tate Liverpool Press Office:
Rachel Skelton 0151 702 7444 rachel.skelton@tate.org.uk
Ami Guest 0151 702 7445 ami.guest@tate.org.uk
