Griffin tapestries come to Downing College, Cambridge

Tuesday 8th March 2016


Quentin Blake weaves his magic as artwork is re-created in tapestry form
Quentin attended a special unveiling of two new decorative tapestries in the Grace Howard Room in Downing College on 8 March 2016: the two pieces, featuring the College 'griffin' symbol, had been specially commissioned by the College to be displayed in that space.  Quentin worked his original drawings in ink and watercolour, at a much smaller size, for them then to be enlarged and woven into textile displays by a specialist company in Spain.  The tapestries render in silks all the shades and nuances of the watercolour wash and ink details of Quentin's drawings.

The tapestry griffins are displayed opposite and in contrast to 'trompe-l'oeil' griffin artworks by Francis Terry, son of the architect Quinlan Terry, who designed the Howard Building where the works are on show.

As an alumnus of Downing College, Quentin has also been invited to show works at the College's new art gallery, which opened in February 2016.  The Heong Gallery plans to show works by a diverse range of modern and contemporary artists including Chinese dissident Ai WeiWei.  Quentin Blake will be exhibiting his works for The Folio Society there in 2017.