Cathy's Art Diary

Colourful exhibition at the London Transport Museum of posters designed by women over the last 100 years. Since 1908 and the appointment of Frank Pick as head of underground publicity, London Transport had taken a progressive view of commissioning posters including using a lot of women artists. In the early 20th century design was seen as a more viable option for women artists than entering the main art market. The show included nice biographies of the artists alongside lovely examples of their works. It also showed how these posters were on the cutting edge of design and were a driver of the Art Deco and post Second World War style as well as reflecting it. I loved a section on Anna and Doris Zinkelsen who were portrait artists and set designers. There was a nice portrait of Anna as a member of the St John’s Ambulance in the Second World War alongside her posters for them. Also Freda Lingstrom, who went on to be head of BBC Children’ s TV and created Andy Pandy and t...

Interesting exhibition at the London Transport Museum looking at the role of the London transport system both on the home and fighting fronts. The top floor of the exhibition (you go in at the top) was dedicated to the home front with a wonderful selection of recruitment and propaganda posters such as the Christmas poster of Toyland mobilising. There was a really good section on the work women did with a bus conductresses uniform and a section on how Maida Vale tube, which opened in 1915, was staffed entirely by women. Downstairs was dedicated to the men and machines which went to the front. I was stunned to see that 1185 buses were sent to the front line of which only 250 returned. Many of them were reconfigured for other roles such as lorries or the six which were turned into pigeon houses! There was a good section on the men who served with interesting anecdotes and photos. I am currently doing some research for work on our rolls of honour so I was particularly int...

Fun exhibition at the London Transport Museum of advertising posters for London Underground to mark its 150th anniversary. They were arranged by theme some of them quite amusing like the section on how over the years the Tube has been advertised as a way to avoid the weather both hot and cold! I loved the section which advertises the sense of opportunity of the city which the Tube opens up and the opposing side advertising that the Tube can take you out of the city too. The 1920s and 30s seem to have been the golden age presenting a great view of a vibrant and exiting city. By the 1970s London Underground moved from commissioning artists to working with advertising agencies as posters were no longer their main advertising medium. Favourite posts was the Graham Sutherland “Go out into the country” of an office scene with an imagined landscape in an artistic think bubble.   Closely followed by a lovely 1920s picture of penguin to advertise London Zoo.   ...