Cartoon County - Past Events

Past Events


Cartoon County has organised and been involved in many events over the last few years. Here is a brief roundup of some of the highlights.

The Cartoon Stripped


THE CARTOON STRIPPED was a series of displays on comics and cartoons, first held at the Gardner Arts Centre, University of Sussex, 4 - 30 June 1995


THE CARTOON STRIPPED was our third exhibition, inspired by a late-night discussion of Scott McCloud's book, Understanding Comics. We asked our curators to build on their own "experience and enthusiasm for a particular aspect of comics/cartoon art, and explain how that genre works. Collect excellent examples from various artists, living or dead, and write blurb (i.e. analyse its language), and/or, where relevant, explain why those particular examples have influenced the individual in his/her work in that medium". Quite a tall order - especially without any funding. Steve Bell guided us through a world of images, analysing the politics of comics, where they come from and how they work, and Woodrow Phoenix showed how this supposedly 'simple' medium demands sophisticated skills from its readers. Erica Smith and Peter Pavement got together with Simon Gane to introduce the excitement of the small press world, while Corinne Pearlman made wild connections and grand claims for the origins of educational comics. The brief for this show became less an analysis of form than a celebration of genre by the individual creator/curators. Thus David Lloyd mounted a retrospective look at one of his heroes, Tony Weare, and Ross Thomson presented the work of his pals in the world of gag cartoons. Ian Miller produced fantasy paintings from times past, and, in the original show at the Gardner Centre, decorated the walls for times present. Herinder Bassi showed us some of his favourite things from the contemporary scene and told us what makes a fanboy tick.

Double Vision


DOUBLE VISION, an exhibition of top French and British cartoon and comic strip art, was held at the Gardner Arts Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton between 6 June & 2 July 1994.

Exhibiting artists from the UK included Paul Cemmick, Kate Charlesworth, Steve Bell, Jamie Hewlett, Ross Thomson, Caspar Williams, Caroline Della Porta, Woodrow Phoenix, Ian Miller, David Lloyd, Martin Honeysett and Geo Parkin.

Cartoon County


CARTOON COUNTY took place from 11 February - 13 March 1993, and was the first exhibition we held at the Gardner Arts Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton.

The show of political, comic and strip illustrationby over 40 Sussex-based professional cartoonists was the centrepiece to a month's series of events and related exhibitions around Sussex. A Cartoon Trail through the region's museums and galleries was complemented by cartoon clinics, workshops, panel discussions and cartoonist-in residencies. The exhibition was the most well-attended exhibition ever held at the Gardner Centre, with over 9,000 people visiting it. Posters were displayed at British Rail stations throughout Sussex. The workshops for school groups and the 'Cartoon Clinics' for experienced cartoonists and comic artists proved so popular that the Gardner Centre started a Cartoon Club, which met regularly for sessions with visiting artists. The Centre still holds occasional comics workshops as part of its half-term and summer programmes for young people.