Good Grief, Charlie Brown! brings together Charles M. Schulz original Peanuts cartoons with work from a wide range of acclaimed contemporary artists and designers who have been inspired by this highly influential and much-loved cartoon. Unique in its enduring appeal, this exhibition will explore Peanuts’ renewed agency in contemporary culture and society.
Schulz created 17,897 strips during his life, syndicated to over 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries and translated into 21 languages, reaching a truly global audience in an era long before digital communications. Featuring original strips rarely seen in the UK or Europe, the exhibition will celebrate Schulz’s prodigious output and examine his creative process. Through the prism of the lives and musings of beloved characters, including Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder and Peppermint Patty, Peanuts addressed themes including art, faith, existentialism, race, war and feminism, crossing social and economic boundaries, and standing as a testament to the power of popular arts.
Alongside this examination of Schulz’s life and work, the exhibition will feature a thrilling range of contemporary pieces, including new works, by artists and designers who have been inspired by Peanuts. Contributors will cross creative disciplines, including sculpture, music, film, design and fashion, and will feature artists including Andy Holden, David Musgrave, Fiona Banner, François Curlet, Ken Kagami, Lucas Price, Mark Drew, Mark Mulroney, Mel Brimfield, Mira Calix, Ryan Gander, KAWS and Steven Claydon.
These contemporary pieces will uncover ways in which different artists have used Peanuts to unlock meaning in their own practice, and how the cartoon has seeped into wider culture and influenced the public consciousness more broadly.
| Duration | 25 October 2018 - 03 March 2019 |
| Times | Mon, Tue, Sat & Sun 10.00 - 18.00, Wed - Fri 11.00 - 20.00 |
| Cost | £14.00 / £11.00 concessions, Under 12s free |
| Venue | Somerset House |
| Address | The Strand, London, WC2R 1LA |
| Contact | / info@somersethouse.org.uk / www.somersethouse.org.uk |