What do the Jane Austen House, the Tate Modern and Leicester Adult Education Centre all have in common?
This month, we’re thrilled to announce that our collections are being showcased in three public exhibitions at the above locations. Featuring the Papers of Sue Birtwistle, TV Producer; Papers of Andrew Davies, renowned screenwriter; Papers of Andrew Logan, artist and impresario; and materials that offer a fascinating look at the history of DMU’s predecessor, the Leicester College of Art, there is much to explore. Read on to discover where, when and how you can view these incredible documents, photographs, and artefacts currently on display.
Leicester Adult Education Centre, Belvoir Street, Leicester 7th Feb-14th Mar 2025
THE ART SCHOOL DANCE GOES ON FOREVER: LEICESTER COLLEGE OF ART'S 1960S ALUMNI
The famous phrase the “swinging ‘60s” was coined to capture the vibrant cultural and creative explosion that took place in Britain during the 1960s. The period was largely defined by a working-class counterculture that embraced change, modernity, and innovation—and the Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology (as DMU was known at the time) were no exception.
From the press cuttings: Fashion design students do a roff-top twist, June, 1962.
By the 1960s, the Colleges had firmly established themselves as leading educational institutions, with a history dating back to the 1870s. They produced influential and renowned alumni across various fields, and in this exhibition curated by DMU's Professor Steve Chibnall and Social Gallery's Joe Nixon and Shaun Knapp with contributions from Special Collections Manager, Katharine Short, you can enjoy some never before seen photographs from private collections alongside a materials from our holdings. Below are some highlights from the exhibition.
Panel boards from the exhibitions contextualising the history of the Leicester College of Art. These are followed by many boards celebrating the achievements of alumni. Above: panel on fashion designer, Hilary Radley.
Display case featuring items from Special Collections, including photographs, prospectuses, student magazines and more.
Left: The exhibition is located on the lower ground floor of the Leicester Adult Education Centre (also accessible by lift) Right: Special Collection Manager, Katharine visits the exhibition.
Panel boards on alumni, Kevin Woodcock, Wayne Anderson and John Buckley.
As Professor Chibnall says, 'Leicester has never fully acknowledged the lasting contribution to world-wide arts and culture made by those educated in the city. It was a generation dedicated to change which saw art school as a springboard to transformation. The exhibition acts as a fascinating introduction to their work'. If you would like to learn more about DMU's history and its alumni, you can find out more on our website and catalogues.
Tate Modern, London 27th Feb-31st Aug 2025
A CELEBRATION OF THE BOUNDARY-PUSHING CAREER OF ARTIST, LEIGH BOWERY,
(Content warning for strong language and nudity)
Described as a fashion designer, pop surrealist and modern art on legs in Tate Modern's exhibition guide, they also swiftly follow-up that 'Bowery declared if you label me, you negate me and he always refused classification, commodification and conformity.' Fusing fashion, make-up, and art, Bowery sought to challenge prevailing ideas surrounding gender, morality and culture. Establishing himself as a designer and artist, it was in this context that Bowery attended and took part in Andrew Logan's Alternative Miss World event in 1985 and 86.
Fat Gill and Leigh Bowery in 1986 Photograph: Robyn Beeche as seen in Accent Magazine 2017.
Attending as Miss F*ckit, Bowery's daywear outfit which consisted of a red tulle dress with a red polka-dot top and sleeves, white gloves and leggings. He wore a red bucket on his head and white face paint, black paint around his mouth, and glasses with white on covering the lenses.
Above: Bowery at Alternative Miss World, 1985.
Logan's beauty pageant began in 1972 and is still running today. He created and launched the event with a focus on the liberating concept of transformation: anyone could enter, beauty myths were challenged and all contestants would be judged according to the criteria of Crufts dog show: poise, personality and originality. You can read more about this event in our blog posts on Logan). Below you can see two items also from the AMW event in 1986 which had an Earth theme.
Ticket for AMW, 1986.
Luciana Martinez and Logan dressed in his traditional host/hostess costume, 1986, the year Bowery featured.
Items from Logan's archival collection relating to Bowery feature in the Tate's must see exhibition, heralded as 'worth the journey' by ArtDependence Magazine.
And, that's not all from our Logan collection: the Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture are in the early stages of planning a potential exhibition on fellow artist filmmaker and friend of Logan, Derek Jarman. Watch this space for updates!
Jane Austen's House, Hampshire Jan 2025-Jan 2026
Marking 250 years since Jane Austen's birth, this exhibition focuses on the groundbreaking screen adaptations of her work released in 1995.
Whether you were enjoying Darcy's (Colin Firth) swim in the lake, or quoting Cher (Alicia Silverstone), 'As if!', these productions had a huge impact. Not just on the box office and their audiences but on the genre itself, forever reframing how the classic novel adaptation would be viewed. No longer typified by staid, washed-out sets, Austen adaptations were way sexier and way cooler, appealing to a broad demographic.
Colin Firth as Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, 1995. From Google images. VHS cover of Clueless, 1998. From Google images.
The exhibitions showcase items from two of our collections: post-production scripts of Pride and Prejudice from screenwriter Andrew Davies' collection and notes from the same production found in the papers of TV producer Sue Birtwistle. The award-winning BBC six-part series was a breakthrough moment for both Davies and Birtwistle, establishing them as household names. They went on to collaborate on several other beloved classic novel adaptations, including Emma (1996) and Wives and Daughters (1999). To discover more of their work, use the links above to explore our catalogue.
Above: Panels and exhibition case on display at Jane Austen's House.
These three exhibitions offer a remarkable opportunity to explore the creative legacies of writers, artists, and visionaries who have shaped our cultural landscape. From the groundbreaking screen adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels to the radical artistry of Leigh Bowery and the transformative impact of Leicester College of Art’s alumni, each exhibition highlights the enduring influence of innovation and reinvention. Visit the exhibitions to experience these fascinating collections firsthand or check out our website to find out how you can visit us and view these extensive collections anytime!
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