Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle

Tucked away in Bethnal Green until the end of the month is a gem on an exhibition for anyone with an ounce of nostalgia in their bones. Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle is an exhibition of the work of master pen-wielder Quentin Blake and his work for seminal children’s author Roald Dahl. A wonderfully curated and complied show, with the opportunity to see original drawings from Quentin himself that do a pretty astute job of shepherding you down memory lane.

The exhibition itself is a celebration of everything the pair created together; the stories, characters and memories that were very much a collaborative effort. They first worked together on a story called The Enormous Crocodile, and proceeded to work on another 21 tales including classics such as the BFG and Matilda. With arguably the most recognisible mark maker ever to work in children’s illustration, the exhibition is a genuine treat for an older fan, or whipper-snapper enjoying the books for the first time.

Quentin’s process is also somewhat laid-bare, with visible scraps of paper used to cover mistakes before being corrected. What really stands out though is his untethered use of watercolour; seemingly so liberal and carefree, but always just hitting the right spots and moods. There’s absolutely tons to see and I would have loved to record a little more for you to see here, but now you’ve even more reason to stay a couple of extra stops on the central line and witness a truly wonderful celebration of the joys of cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle
Runs until 6 September
V&A Museum of Childhood
Cambridge Heath Road
London. E2 9PA