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Steve Bell: Drawing Politics and other animals

Sketchbooks and artwork reveal Steve Bell’s mastery of political caricature

Steve Bell: Drawing Politics and other animals (October 8 – November 16) traces 12 key themes from Bell’s last 30 years as a leading political cartoonist including the Rise and Fall of Lady Thatcher and John Major, Tony Blair and New Labour, the War in Afghanistan, the War in Iraq as well as various US and UK elections, coming right upto date with his sketchbooks of characters from the recent US conventions.

On hand to open a private view of the exhibition on October 7 will be another heavyweight who looks at politics from other perspectives, James Naughtie, presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme.

At least 30 framed pictures, most of which started life as a sketch made by Bell sitting among the press corps at conferences and events, provide a back drop for showcases holding many of his A6 sketchbooks filled with initial sketches and observations. The visitor is taken from the small beginning and shown how the images develop into the finished artwork.

Best known for his long running If... series in the Guardian newspaper,the freelance cartoonist is famed for his cutting satire and ability to create iconic caricatures of leading politicians. Bell has famously depicted Tony Blair with a manic grin and one bulging eye, and John Major wearing his pants over his suit like some kind of awkward anti-hero.

"At first it can be tricky" says Bell, "but over the years you get a sense for what makes politicians tick and develop the characters you can work with. It’s very useful to see the politicians in the flesh. I usually stick with the photographers at party conferences and follow them round with my sketchbooks. You can sit almost looking up their noses and pick up the things that the camera misses."

Not often seen in public, these sketch books are the highlight of The Lightbox exhibition. They reveal how Bell’s incredible draughtsmanship and observational skills often enable him to capture the spark of an enduring caricature from just a few pencil lines.

The sketch books will be accompanied by a selection of original cartoons from Bell’s vast personal archive. Working to reproduction size on card or watercolour paper, using John Heath's Telephone Pen (Fine), brush and Indian ink, he currently draws five If... strips and four editorial cartoons for the Guardian each week in his studio in Brighton.

The resulting provocative images hit close to home and Bell freely admits that he often oversteps the mark. His early cartoon strip Maggie’s Farm in Time Out was once condemned in the House of Lords as "an almost obscene series of caricatures".

For further press information contact:
Felix Watkinson,
Communications Officer,
The Lightbox, Tel: 01483 737810,
Email: felix.watkinson@thelightbox.org.uk

Links

• British Cartoon Archive
• BBC Biography