Press release A Fantastical Animal Alphabet Saturday 5 October – Sunday 15 December 2013 This exhibition accompanies Curious Beasts: Animal Prints from the British Museum and draws inspiration from Enid Marx’s (Marco) Animal Alphabet creating a Fantastical Animal Alphabet of new original prints. Marco’s Animal Alphabet, as it has become affectionately known, was first printed in 1979 and subsequently published as a book in 2000. The prints from the series are brought together for the first time in years as Compton Verney’s very own collection is married with the works held by Pallant House to mark the recent re-display of Marx’s Collection at Compton Verney. Highlights to the alphabet include O for Owl and R for rhino, the later providing an interesting comparison to Dürer’s rhino also on display. Fantastical Animal Alphabet takes the exhibition Curious Beasts: Animal Prints from the British Museum and Marco’s linocuts as inspiration to present newly commissioned work by artists Kate Da’Casto, Gemma Wright, Sarah Kirby, Sally Hill, Alison Doyley, Peter Clayton, Sat Kalsi, Deborah Hopson-Wolpe, Soraya Smithson from Leicester Print Workshop, the centre for printmaking in the Midlands. Utilizing a range of fine art printmaking techniques: linocut, screenprinting, lithography, etching, letterpress, artists will produce a new animal alphabet of fantastical animals both real and imagined. Each of the newly commissioned letters of the alphabet will be on display and handprinted in a limited edition run of three, which make a rare gift or extra special Christmas present. These will be on sale in the shop at Compton Verney. Award winning printer, Kate Da’Casto, from Leicester Print Workshop will be Compton Verney’s artist-in-residence for the duration of the exhibition. On Tuesdays and Saturdays she will be located in a pop-up printers studio in the gallery, where she will be sketching, preparing new work, talking about and demonstrating various printmaking techniques to visitors. Kate says “I love printmaking, it provides the artists with a magical box of tools and I look forward to sharing my experiences and enthusiasm with Compton Verney’s visitors. By doing so, I hope to add to their understanding of printmaking and their enjoyment of both exhibitions. On a personal level I know that my time amongst these wonderful works will inspire me to create a new body of prints, I can’t wait to see what unfolds.” Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to get hands on with print making in the resource room where they can make their own specially designed letter of the alphabet. Fantastical Animal Alphabet is presented by Compton Verney in collaboration with Leicester Print Workshop. 1 For press information contact Sam Skillings T: 01926 645 541 E:[email protected] Press release Notes to editors Compton Verney - Compton Verney’s 2013 season is 23 March – 15 December 2013 - The Gallery is open Tuesday – Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays, 11am – 5pm - Admission to Compton Verney including the exhibition is £13.00 Adults, £11.00 Concessions, £2.50 Children, £26.00 Family. Under 5s are free. Admission includes entry to the collections, grounds and the exhibition. [These prices include a Gift Aid donation] - For tickets and information see www.comptonverney.org.uk or call 01926 645500 - Daily 45 minute exhibition tours take place at 12 noon and 2.30pm and are included in admission. No advance booking sign up on arrival. - The gallery is home to six permanent collections and a changing exhibition programme. Leicester Print Workshop - Leicester Print Workshop is located in the centre of the UK and has a programme that stretches across the Midlands and beyond; - It is a studio and not for profit resource which supports artists and promotes printmaking through education and exhibitions; - LPW is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and is a centre for printmakers. 2 For press information contact Sam Skillings T: 01926 645 541 E:[email protected] Press release Exhibition Fantastical Animal Alphabet Saturday 5 October – Sunday 15 December 2013 For high resolution copies of any of the following images, please email: [email protected]  All credit lines are correct in accordance to agreements with lending institutions and copyright holders and must be used in full.  All images are supplied at 300 dpi, approx. 3-4 MB and approx. 10/11cm in height or width. Please contact us if you require a larger image.  In agreement with copyright holders all images may not be cropped or text laid over them without prior permission. 3 For press information contact Sam Skillings T: 01926 645 541 E:[email protected] Press release 4 Kate Da’Casto F.O.F. Series 1 / I (2010) Etching, 7 x 9 cm Kate Da’Casto F.O.F. Series 1 / II (2010) Etching, 7 x 9 cm Kate Da’Casto Blind (2009) Etching, 60 x 54 cm Enid Marx Letter P © Estate of Enid Marx Enid Marx Letter D © Estate of Enid Marx Enid Marx Letter I © Estate of Enid Marx For press information contact Sam Skillings T: 01926 645 541 E:[email protected]