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Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy
Tavistock Place
Plymouth
Devon
PL4 8AX
Opening Times
| Season (24 Jan 2026 - 31 May 2026) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | Closed | |
| Tuesday - Sunday | 10:00 | - 17:00 |
About us
2026 marks both Cook's centenary and 50 years since the 1976 Sunday Times feature that launched her career following her first exhibition at Plymouth Arts Centre in 1975. She produced an estimated 500 paintings during her lifetime, many of which have become instantly recognisable through their commercial success. But, although her colourful paintings made her beloved by millions, critics consistently dismissed her work as mere kitsch.
Pride and Joy argues for a radical reassessment. Through subjects such as drag queens, working-class women at bingo halls, plus-size bodies celebrating their physicality and LGBTQ+ nightlife, Cook documented communities and identities that were actively marginalised with genuine affection, technical mastery and unflinching honesty. Her work from the 1970s to 2000s captures working-class joy, body positivity, and queer culture with a sophistication that's only now being fully recognised.
The exhibition will be organised into four sections:
- Identity and Representation will look at Cook's radical approach to her subjects and her unique style of self-portraiture.
- Chronicles of Everyday Life will explore Cook's phenomenal observational skills and attention to detail as she documented working-class spaces and everyday life in a changing Britain.
- Process and Practice will highlight Cook’s meticulous research and the way she actively mined different media in ways that feel remarkably contemporary. This section will also include rarely seen sculptures and textile work that demonstrate her versatility beyond painting.
- Influences and Impact will show how her work was inspired by and referenced a broad range of visual culture - from popular postcards to historical painters.
Tickets
For your enjoyment, we’ll be ticketing this free exhibition, although there will be spaces on the day for walk-ups. From 14 February 2026, your ticket will also give you access to our major 'Journeys with Mai' exhibition.
Free admission but booking is advised. Donations welcome.
More to come
In celebration of the exhibition, we'll be organising related displays that delve even further into Cook's archives and hosting a series of brilliant events. Bespoke merchandise and a fully illustrated book will be available from our onsite and online shops.
KARST will also present Discord and Harmony, an exhibition of contemporary British artists whose work shares Cook’s radically generous approach to representing everyday life, from 24 January-18 April 2026.
Images
Header: Laying on a Sofa - Acquired with support from the Arts Council EnglandV&A Purchase Grant Fund and the Art Fund. Image © John Cook 2025
