Fairy tale of an exhibition on show at Scarborough Art Gallery - prints, collage and paintings based on Grimms' stories
Folklore meets art in an enchanting exhibition – Red Riding and The Brothers Grimm – of works by British artist Christopher P Wood at Scarborough Art Gallery.
Inspired by the haunting beauty and darkness of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, the exhibition of paintings, collages, and etchings, reimagines classic stories through Wood’s inventive works of dreamlike landscapes, expressive figures, and a touch of the surreal.
Alongside Leeds-based Wood’s work, visitors can explore a selection of objects from the Clarke Charm Collection, a display of charms and amulets collected by William Clarke, reflecting folk beliefs in protection, healing, and magic.
The exhibition blends Wood’s mystical art with Clarke’s historic charms, offering a unique look at storytelling, superstition, and creativity.
Christopher said: “The familiar yet often obscure narratives of the fairy tales as recounted to the Brothers Grimm in the early 19th century come down to us from the very ancient oral traditions of storytelling which seem a part of our very DNA. T
“The origins of some of the stories can be traced back to the Iron Age and it is often that lawless, amoral and arbitrary world that is captured so well within each tale.
"It’s an animistic, shape-shifting world where animals talk or disguise themselves as humans. It’s a back to front, upside-down kind of world where a Miller’s son can become king and a king can become a beggar.
“My re-visioning of Grimm’s attempts to capture the subtleties of this contradictory world through painting, collage and etching using these different expressive means to capture the essential atmosphere of a selected group of the Tales.”
May Catt, senior manager culture venues, North Yorkshire Council, said: “These works by Christopher Wood are a fascinating reinterpretation of the Brothers Grimms’ traditional fairy tales.
"His images remind us that the original stories were unsettling and sometimes chilling, they still have a lot to say to a modern audience. We’ve loved working with Chris as he has explored the museum collection at Scarborough and found echoes of these magical, mystical, macabre tales in the Clarke Charm Collection.”
Rarely for a public gallery visitors to the show will be able to purchase works.
Danielle Daglan, head of culture and archives, North Yorkshire Council, said: “This exhibition is a great example of how we provide a space where visitors can not only experience the work of acclaimed artists like Christopher P Wood, but also take a piece of that creativity home.
"Scarborough is a thriving creative town with a long-standing reputation for supporting the arts. Offering Chris’ work for sale through the gallery is a way for us to support his practice while strengthening the town’s wider cultural offer."
The exhibition is a collaboration between Scarborough Art Gallery and the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham.
Fiona Waterhouse, senior curator at Goldmark, said:: “We at Goldmark are delighted to follow up our exciting partnership, earlier this year, with Harrogate’s Mercer Art Gallery, by working with another in the stable of North Yorkshire Council’s outstanding galleries.
“I can think of few better ways to see Christopher P Wood’s work than alongside Scarborough’s magical Clarke Charm Collection.”
Christopher P Wood’s Red Riding and the Brothers Grimm with Clarke’s Charm Collection runs until February 7.
Scarborough Art Gallery is in The Crescent. It is open feach Tuesday to Saturday from 10am.
Admission is £3 for an annual pass.