As the centre surpasses a major milestone two months since its opening, it has unveiled two new installations and announced an extension of one of the inaugural exhibitions.
On 2nd August, almost exactly two months after opening, the national centre for illustration in Clerkenwell reached the milestone of 15,000 visitors, which included eleven school groups, to its exhibitions, library, garden, shop and cafe.
In response to popular demand, one of the inaugural exhibitions has been extended by a month. MURUGIAH: Ever Feel Like… will now remain open until Sunday 4th October, as will Queer as Comics, the UK’s first exhibition examining LGBTQIA+ comics.
Quentin Blake: Performance remains on display until April 2027. Visitors have access to all three exhibitions with one ticket.
Two new additions
The centre has also unveiled two new outdoor sculptural works – a wishing horse and a bespoke weathervane designed by Quentin Blake.
A sculpture of a horse has permanently joined the collection. Chip, The Horse That Carried The City commemorates the horses who worked on the former New River Head waterworks, creating power for the engines and, later, pulling the coal carts.
Such Stories, the collaborative design studio of award-winning illustrator and ceramicist Laura Carlin and creative director Jo Briggs, created Chip with the help of local schools and family groups, whose illustrated hopes and dreams feature on the statue’s plinth.
Chip’s hoof includes a star which visitors are encouraged to ‘press to wish’. The interactive sculpture, crafted from concrete, metal and resin, stands over two metres tall and weighs six tonnes. It is one of several installations that references the heritage of Quentin Blake Centre’s buildings, which have been restored, repurposed and interpreted with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Islington Council, philanthropy and grants.
Laura Carlin and Jo Briggs (Such Stories) said: “We became fascinated by the idea that waterworks were once places where everyday life happened. People came to collect water, but they also came to swap stories, share gossip and talk about what was happening in their corner of the world. That became the starting point for Chip.”
The artists worked with children of all ages, who shared stories of their family, friends and passion for the areas they live in, calling the result “a portrait of a community told through many different voices.”
“Their drawings and ideas became part of the artwork around Chip’s plinth,” added Laura and Jo, “while inside the horse is a wish-making mechanism that invites visitors young and old to leave a hope of their own behind. Although the horse celebrates the history of the waterworks, the project became just as much about the people who live here today. We hope Chip becomes a place where stories continue to gather.”
Another new addition since the centre’s opening is a weathervane in the form of one of Quentin Blake’s distinctive cockatoos. It has been installed atop the base of London’s oldest remaining windmill fragment, dating back to 1707.
What schools can expect
Pupils are offered tailored activity packs containing crocodile puppets and cockatoo soft toys, looking aids and sensory toys. The free library includes illustration activities, original artworks and a huge range of books for children.
Alongside the wishing horse, the garden includes specially designed play benches, sensory planting and enclosed play and picnic spaces.
Illustration workshops covering a wide range of art, science and English topics are available for all age groups, from EYFS to Key Stage 5, encouraging pupils to explore different techniques and materials under guidance from illustrator-educators.
History sessions focused on the local New River area are also available to primary pupils and EYFS groups.
Book a school visit at: qbcentre.org.uk/schools.
