All over social media, cats are creatures of entertainment and humour, being the faces of adorable memes. But before social media, these loveable and entertaining feline characters were enjoyed through cartoons, with notable cats like Tom from Tom and Jerry and Garfield, and even before they came along, in Louis Wain’s artwork. This exhibition at The Cartoon Museum featuring illustrations and comic strips, as well as an activity table for children, guarantees a fun experience for all.
Through a small room, the exhibition is packed with a tonne of work, with each wall dedicated to an artist. As well as illustrations, there are comic strips too, encouraging visitors to read and engage with the artworks on display. The Garfield comics displayed against orange walls, is easy to spot. Upon first entrance, it seems bare, not making much for an exciting entrance, and the vibrancy of the colourful walls is slightly held back by the dim yellow lighting. The intention of the colourful walls is obvious: to add more fun and tie in the cartoon features; however, it can be quite distracting, especially with the dim lights that also take focus away from the actual work.
As you walk around, you’ll also read comments from the community at Battersea for Dogs and Cats, who have contributed to this exhibition by aiding their expertise. There is a short video clip playing on a small TV where the sound projects around the room, filmed at the cattery in Battersea.
The dedicated space for Louis Wain includes eight framed illustrations behind butter-yellow walls. The Cartoon Museum highlights Wain’s influence with cat-mania upon entrance and offers a quick biography on his career. It’s an exciting section for art lovers, as opposed to the rest of the exhibition, which focuses more on popular cartoon cats.
There is an even larger space full of the funny, psychedelic works from Ronald Searle. The composition of the framed illustrations works better here; these much larger prints aren’t all collaged so close together; instead, they run across, spaced out evenly against an off-white wall.
Searle’s depiction of cats stands out amongst the rest in this exhibition, with the curators describing them as having a “humorous, anxious and menacing air”. In his unique style, characterised by rapid, jagged lines, his cats are imbued with a more troublesome look. Compared to the other cartoon cats that have much cuter features, like round faces and big eyes, his are very pudgy with a cheeky grin.
This is indeed a fun display for any cat and cartoon lover. You are sure to walk around beaming, spotting your favourite cartoon cat as well as learning more about their history and artistry.
Review by Rim Alkaiat
Read Rim’s latest Review: “A night of unhinged humour with Dulcé Sloan” – Soho Theatre – Abundant Art
Featured Image: The Champions (c) Ronald Searle
Tickets: https://www.cartoonmuseum.org/whats-on-exhibitions/cats
