Tate Liverpool have given Kirkby High School a ‘dazzling’ pop art makeover after donating a series of flags designed by Sir Peter Blake.
The flags were commissioned for the gallery’s café using the same ‘Everybody Razzle Dazzle’ design which can be seen adorning the Mersey Ferry. Marking the 10th anniversary of the launch of Sir Peter’s renowned work on the ferry, the flags have now been unveiled at the Knowsley school where it has been inspiring students.
Following the temporary closure of Tate Liverpool for redevelopment it became clear the flags would not fit in their new spaces when they return. The gallery and artist decided to give them a new life by finding a new home for the flags within the community. Tate Liverpool has a long-standing relationship with Kirkby High, having worked with them on its transformational art and mental health programme, Tackling the Blues, over the last 3 years.
The flags have now been donated to the school who have created an eye-catching installation seen by its 1,000 pupils and visitors every day. Sir Peter’s work has been used by the teachers there to inspire students and help them as they transition to high school.
The flags bring together the artist’s iconic pop motifs with international maritime signal flags, playfully updating tools typically used for navigation. They mirror Sir Peter’s design on the Dazzle Ferry – a contemporary interpretation of dazzle camouflage, a technique created by artists and used during the First World War which has become one of the iconic symbols on the River Mersey over the last decade.
Phil McClure, Assistant Curator Learning, Tate Liverpool said:
“We would like to thank Sir Peter Blake for this contribution, and we hope that the flags become a valuable teaching resource for the school and a chance for the students there to engage directly with works created by a significant British artist. We hope that the students at Kirkby High will be inspired by the flags to make and create and to engage with art and artists. We believe a creative education can positively impact student’s lives and we hope that the bright, colourful flags bring positive memories and a smile to students faces when they come through the door.”
Amy Argent, Head of Art and Jonathan Greenbank, teacher of art and PD said:
“Sir Peter Blake has long been an inspiration to Kirkby High School staff and students; To have his flags here is simply wonderful as they directly link to the art curriculum. When primary schools visit for transition sessions, students are introduced to his work and create self-portrait images based on his collages and the razzle dazzle imagery. Year 9 students explore his work with reference to his Pop Art style while exploring graffiti and logos. Also, at the end of Year 7 students reflect on their achievements and changing identities by designing their own Self Portrait With Badges based on the painting which won him the John Moores Painting Prize in 1961.”
Sir Peter Blake (b. 1932) is a leading figure in the development of British pop art and his work is synonymous with the use of imagery from modern culture, including comic books, consumer goods and advertisements. Sir Peter Blake has a strong relationship with Liverpool that extends beyond his famous design of The Beatles’s album cover, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967, including winning the Junior section of the John Moores Painting Prize in 1961 with his work Self Portrait with Badges which is now in the Tate collection.
In 2007, Tate Liverpool hosted Peter Blake: A Retrospective, the largest since an exhibition at the Tate Gallery in 1983. He also created an updated version of the iconic Sgt. Pepper’s album cover with famous figures from Liverpool history as part of the successful bid for Liverpool to become European Capital of Culture 2008.
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