Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective

The first major exhibition about the graphic novelist and picture book maker Raymond Briggs is on tour across the UK and on display at Kirkcudbright Galleries from until the end of October.

“[To be an illustrator] you have to be a mini actor. If the figure is to walk jauntily with its nose in the air, you have to imagine what that feels like. You have to be the person and observe the person, and do both these things at once."Raymond Briggs.

With never-before-seen artwork, this exhibition delves into the work of the author-illustrator behind some of the UK’s most influential children’s books and graphic novels.

Raymond Briggs (1934-2022) is best-known for silent picturebook The Snowman (1978). But over a 60-year career, Briggs created illustrated books on themes from family relationships and grief to social mobility and political satire.

This exhibition includes work from Briggs’s pioneering titles, including The Snowman, Father Christmas (1973), Fungus the Bogeyman (1977) and autobiographical graphic novel Ethel and Ernest (1998). On show are his drawings, hand-lettered typography and page designs from his earliest commissions to his 2004 book The Puddleman.

Co-curated by Nicolette Jones and Katie McCurrach, this exhibition features original illustrations courtesy of Raymond Briggs’s Archive and Penguin Random House. Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective is a touring exhibition from Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.

Kirkcudbright Galleries are so sorry to hear of the passing of Raymond Briggs this August. Find out more about his life and work in The Guardian and from Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.

Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee, Cllr Archie Dryburgh comments:

“Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective is an exhibition which showcases the range of influential works produced by the artist. With much loved stories such as The Snowman (1978) and bestselling graphic novels for adults like Ethel & Ernest (1998), When the Wind Blows (1982), there is something for everyone in this fantastic exhibition. It’s great that the Galleries can provide a diverse range of exhibitions in their programme, so this can appeal to different audiences.”

Vice Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee Cllr John Campbell has said:

“Kirkcudbright Galleries are currently hosting Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective. This exhibition includes original artwork from iconic children’s picture books such as Fungus the Bogeyman (1977) and Father Christmas (1973). Briggs was able to capture a range of emotions and social commentary in his stories which would later become known as some of the UK’s most influential children’s books and graphic novels. It’s brilliant that we’re able to access this exhibition on our doorstep in Dumfries & Galloway and is a worthwhile visit.”