Friday 20th October
Seven Stories are proud to present a new exhibition in Gallery 5. Westall’s Kingdom – A Writer’s Life, celebrates the work of Tyneside-born author Robert Westall (1929-1993).
Robert Westall grew up in North Shields, on the banks of the River Tyne and set many of his tales in the places that we know and love today – Tynemouth, the Northumbrian Coast and Lindisfarne. His writing was amongst the first to capture the essence of the North bringing to life regional history, buildings, landmarks and speech.
Westall is perhaps most well known for The Machine Gunners which came about by a wish ‘to share childhoods’ with his twelve year old son Christopher. “I wanted to invite him back into my world and let the two generations, just for a moment, stand side by side.� Chris’ response led Westall to edit his work if Chris was bored and try again. This became the first draft of The Machine Gunners which was published by Macmillan in 1975, launching Westall’s career as a writer.
The exhibition Westall’s Kingdom – A Writer’s Life has been designed by Seven Stories working in collaboration with Robert Westall’s partner, Lindy McKinnel. Lindy says: “It seems to me eminently suitable that Robert Westall’s life, having started in 1929 in North Shields, should come full circle and that he be commemorated not ten miles away from his birthplace in Seven Stories’ Robert Westall Gallery.�
This interactive exhibition has something for all ages, as you travel back in time and discover 1940’s memorabilia and an original 1960 Triumph Tiger Cub motorbike. You can climb on board our replica sailing boat and listen to The Winds Eye, find out what it was like to grow up on Tyneside during World War II by exploring the secret den from The Machine-Gunners, equipped with a real machine gun and period comics, or light up our interactive map and see where Westall set the scene for a number of his books.
Carey Fluker Hunt, Arts and Education Manager at Seven Stories says: “Visitors will be invited to take a journey into Westall’s life and imagination, exploring an exhilarating mix of subjects that reflect this writer’s zest for life. You’ll find something in this exhibition to intrigue and delight. You never know, you might even find yourself wanting to tell your own story!�
School visits are bookable for Westall’s Kingdom. Call Alison Neill on 0845 271 0777 for more details.
Comments (1)
Robert Taught me at SJDGS - hopeless as i was at Art. Remember him though as a very real man - made an impression..........R.
Posted by Trevor Moss | April 3, 2008 9:10 PM