An exhibition of contemporary art inspired by Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows will display over 20 works from artists 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 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'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.
About the artists
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.
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.
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.
