Beryl Cook's Vibrant Legacy: A Serious Artist's Triumph
The city of Plymouth is set to celebrate the life and work of Beryl Cook, a pioneering artist whose vibrant paintings were once dismissed as mere kitsch. However, a major retrospective exhibition, "Pride and Joy," now reveals her true significance as a serious and significant artist who skillfully chronicled a tumultuous period of social transformation.
Cook's move to Plymouth in 1968 marked the beginning of her artistic journey, and the city became her primary subject, its pubs, streets, and lido providing vivid backdrops for her work. The exhibition features over 80 paintings, alongside rarely seen sculptures, textiles, and access to Cook's personal archive of photographs, sketches, and correspondence.
One of the most striking aspects of Cook's work is her ability to document communities and identities that were actively marginalized. Her paintings from the 1970s to 2000s capture working-class joy, body positivity, and queer culture with warmth, humor, and genuine affection. A little-known painting, "Bar Girls," featuring two women enjoying a full pint, exemplifies this approach.
Cook's meticulous methods of working are also on display, as she mined media from local television news to newspapers for subjects and inspiration. Her influences range from "saucy" seaside postcards to the work of Amedeo Modigliani and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
The exhibition comes at an apt time, with 2026 marking the centenary of Cook's birth and Plymouth bidding to become the UK city of culture. Jemima Laing, the deputy leader of Plymouth city council, hailed Cook as a catalyst for putting the place on the cultural map.
Larger than life-size sculptures of some of her characters will be popping up across the city, serving as Plymouth's love letter to an artist who never stopped celebrating us. Julian Spalding, a writer and former museum director, described Cook as one of the glories of British painting, a modern William Hogarth and Thomas Rowlandson rolled into one.
Cook's commitment to joy and celebration in her art is evident in every brushstroke. As she once said, "If I thought it would make any difference, I might." Instead, she chose to focus on the positive aspects of life, creating works that continue to inspire and delight audiences today.
"Pride and Joy" at the Box in Plymouth opens on January 24, 2026, and will run until May 31. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the vibrant legacy of Beryl Cook, a true pioneer in British art.
The city of Plymouth is set to celebrate the life and work of Beryl Cook, a pioneering artist whose vibrant paintings were once dismissed as mere kitsch. However, a major retrospective exhibition, "Pride and Joy," now reveals her true significance as a serious and significant artist who skillfully chronicled a tumultuous period of social transformation.
Cook's move to Plymouth in 1968 marked the beginning of her artistic journey, and the city became her primary subject, its pubs, streets, and lido providing vivid backdrops for her work. The exhibition features over 80 paintings, alongside rarely seen sculptures, textiles, and access to Cook's personal archive of photographs, sketches, and correspondence.
One of the most striking aspects of Cook's work is her ability to document communities and identities that were actively marginalized. Her paintings from the 1970s to 2000s capture working-class joy, body positivity, and queer culture with warmth, humor, and genuine affection. A little-known painting, "Bar Girls," featuring two women enjoying a full pint, exemplifies this approach.
Cook's meticulous methods of working are also on display, as she mined media from local television news to newspapers for subjects and inspiration. Her influences range from "saucy" seaside postcards to the work of Amedeo Modigliani and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
The exhibition comes at an apt time, with 2026 marking the centenary of Cook's birth and Plymouth bidding to become the UK city of culture. Jemima Laing, the deputy leader of Plymouth city council, hailed Cook as a catalyst for putting the place on the cultural map.
Larger than life-size sculptures of some of her characters will be popping up across the city, serving as Plymouth's love letter to an artist who never stopped celebrating us. Julian Spalding, a writer and former museum director, described Cook as one of the glories of British painting, a modern William Hogarth and Thomas Rowlandson rolled into one.
Cook's commitment to joy and celebration in her art is evident in every brushstroke. As she once said, "If I thought it would make any difference, I might." Instead, she chose to focus on the positive aspects of life, creating works that continue to inspire and delight audiences today.
"Pride and Joy" at the Box in Plymouth opens on January 24, 2026, and will run until May 31. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the vibrant legacy of Beryl Cook, a true pioneer in British art.
about Beryl Cook's retrospective exhibition! Her art is like a big ol' hug 
for everyone, especially those who've been marginalized 
. I love how she celebrated working-class life and queer culture with such warmth and humor 
. Her use of media from local TV news to newspapers is genius 
. And can you believe it's taken this long for her art to be recognized? 
It's like, finally! 
. The sculptures popping up across the city are going to be EPIC 
! I'm totally down for a visit in 2026 
. Jemima Laing is a total legend 
for putting Cook on the map. Let's get this cultural celebration started 
!
. But it just goes to show that art is always evolving and people are starting to appreciate her contributions more. Her way of celebrating community and everyday life is so refreshing, you know? The fact that she used media from local news to inspire her work shows how down-to-earth she was as an artist 
she was way ahead of her time, like a weirdo aunt who never fits in but always brings the party 
cook's got some serious skills, and her dedication to capturing the human experience is genuine and beautiful 
like seriously dont get me wrong Beryl Cook sounds amazing but is it really necessary to give her a major retrospective when there are so many other artists who deserve the same recognition? 
and btw "catalyst for putting the place on the cultural map" sounds like total marketing speak 
I mean, who wouldn't love her vibrant and unapologetic paintings of working-class people having fun? It's like she was the original Britpop icon without the angst 
. But hey, at least it's not too late to give her some props and celebrate her legacy... 50 years after she passed away 
. And of course, the fact that Plymouth is trying to capitalize on her artistic genius by plastering giant sculptures all over the city is just peachy 
.
and I love how she mashed up different media to create her art - talk about multitasking, am I right? 
so, let's give it up for Beryl Cook, the original happy artist! 
. She was always about spreading positivity and joy through her art, which is so inspiring 
. I'm gonna make sure to check out the retrospective exhibition when it opens on Jan 24th - can't wait to dive into all those paintings and learn more about her life and work 
.
. And I'm curious to see all those paintings from back in the day, I've heard some of them were pretty wild 
.
. That's like, totally what we need more of these days - more people celebrating life in all its messy glory 
.
I'm not sure anymore... can someone explain this to me?