A landmark exhibition opening in Plymouth this weekend seeks to fundamentally reshape the legacy of Beryl Cook, arguing her vibrant, popular paintings are the work of a serious and significant artist.
From Kitsch to Critical Acclaim
For decades, the art establishment often dismissed Cook's colourful depictions of pub life, bustling streets, and larger-than-life characters as mere whimsy or kitsch. The "Pride and Joy" retrospective at The Box in Plymouth presents a compelling counter-narrative. It positions Cook as a skilful and affectionate chronicler of a period of profound social transformation in Britain.
"This is absolutely a moment for Beryl Cook," declared Terah Walkup, the show's curator, as final preparations were made. The exhibition space, she noted, is "awash with colour." Walkup emphasised the artist's deeper purpose: "Beryl Cook wasn't painting caricatures. She was documenting communities and identities that were actively marginalised with affection, mastery and honesty."
Chronicling a Changing Society
The timing of the show is particularly apt. 2026 marks the centenary of Cook's birth, and it is fifty years since a feature in The Sunday Times propelled her to national fame following her first exhibition in Plymouth. The retrospective also coincides with the city's bid to become UK City of Culture.
Featuring more than 80 paintings, the exhibition includes rarely seen sculptures, textiles, and access to Cook's personal archive. A dedicated section on "identity and representation" highlights how she consistently painted those who were "othered"—whether due to gender, class, sexuality, or body shape—with warmth and dignity.
Walkup pointed to an early 1972 work, Bar Girls, which shows two women sharing pints. "In those days there were still pubs that refused to serve women unaccompanied by men," she explained. "Here we have two women enjoying a full pint and each other's company. She's not making fun of her subjects at all—she's painting people occupying spaces unapologetically."
Plymouth's Love Letter to its Artist
Cook, who died in 2008 aged 81, moved to Plymouth in 1968, and the city became her enduring muse. Its pubs, lido, and streets provided vivid backdrops for her work. Jemima Laing, deputy leader of Plymouth City Council, stated that Cook put Plymouth on the cultural map. "While critics dismissed her, the public loved her, and now it's time for long-awaited and hugely deserved critical recognition."
Larger-than-life sculptures of Cook's iconic characters will be installed across the city, described by Laing as "Plymouth's love letter to an artist who never stopped celebrating us."
The exhibition also delves into Cook's meticulous process, revealing how she mined local media for inspiration, and explores her artistic influences, from saucy postcards to the works of Modigliani and Bruegel. Writer and former museum director Julian Spalding hailed Cook as "one of the glories of British painting," a modern Hogarth. He recalled asking her if she ever wanted to paint something upsetting. Her reply was definitive: "No. If I thought it would make any difference, I might. But I don't." It was, he concluded, joy that drove her to create.
Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy opens at The Box in Plymouth on Saturday 24 January 2026 and runs until 31 May.
