Secrets of the Saucy Seaside Postcard

24th October 2008 - 1st February 2009

This major exhibition takes a behind-the-scenes look at the artwork that went into creating the red-nosed husbands, buxom beauties and other cheeky characters associated with Bamforth's comic postcard.

Tracing the journey from the artist’s rough sketch to the final print, 200 original artworks will be shown alongside the original postcards.

It celebrates the art of the comic postcards and follows their production from the artist’s rough sketch through to the final printed version.  On show will be some 200 examples of original artwork and a selection of original postcards.

The exhibition will also reveal some of the other printed items – calendars, Valentines and birthday cards – produced by the company which operated for over 85 years before being sold to a Scarborough-based postcard publishers in 1987.

The exhibition gives a modern twist to the comic postcard through specially commissioned artwork by three contemporary artists, inspired by Bamforth’s work. Funded by the Arts Council, the artists have used the postcards as inspiration for new works in textiles, ceramics and paper:

Paddy Killer, from Halifax and now based in Newcastle, has produced a giant textile postcard featuring famous faces. She has taken figures from original Bamforth cards and, in keeping with the Bamforth tradition of reflecting topical issues, has added modern faces such as Posh and Becks, Ant and Dec and George Bush and Tony Blair.  The postcard sends greetings from Benidorm, one of today’s most popular holiday destinations. The ink drawing on silk is finished with quilting and embroidery.

Olivia Brown, a Hebden Bridge-based artist who produces ceramic animals has created a fun pier installation inhabited not by people but by dogs.  Bonemouth Pier, an eight-foot square work has dogs sitting in deck chairs, dogs having a silly seaside picture taken by a dog photographer and dogs getting on with their ‘business’ (pictured right).

Kate Eggleston-Wirtz, an American based in Lytham, has produced three mixed media works which look at different aspects of the postcards. Beach Ball is a large papier mâché beach ball covered in pictures of the large round body bits – bottoms, bellies and boobs – that featured in Bamforth’s postcards.  ‘Fallen Trousers’, a pair of trousers that have fallen down onto a pair of shoes, is inspired by the naughtiness of some of the postcards. ‘Chocolate Box’, a cash box containing chocolates with black faces attached, looks at the racial stereotyping and censorship issues that surround the postcards.  

This exhibition is on-loan from Kirklees Museums & Galleries, acquired with the aid of the MGC / V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

Open 10am - 5pm Tuesday - Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays

(closed Good Friday & Christmas Day)

Free admission.

PRIVATE PREVIEW: A private preview of the exhibition will take place on Thursday 23rd October from 5.30 to 6.30pm at Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum.