Express & Star

Nearly 2,500 attend Sandwell exhibition for Beano and Dandy artist

An exhibition celebrating the life of a Sandwell-born artist has attracted nearly 2,500 visitors from across the region.

Published
Charlie Grigg.

A total of 2.488 visitors turned out to see the work by Sandwell-born cartoon artist Charlie 'Chas' Grigg, an illustrator for The Beano and The Dandy.

The exhibition, launched at Wednesbury Gallery and Art Museum, highlights his work as illustrator of Korky the Kat and Desperate Dan and contains artefacts, original drawings, letters, unseen and unpublished images and a chance to see video interviews with Charlie.

Mr Grigg lived in the Rood End area of Langley as a young boy.

Arts officer Alex Howell said: "It's been really well received.

"It's definitely been one of our most popular exhibitions and it's had a lot of interest – we've had to set up private tours.

"We themed our summer around the exhibition and it's been well received.

"It's brought to light a hero from the area that people wouldn't know about, especially stuff to do with the Beano and Dandy which are not as popular nowadays.

"I think what's really nice is the actual letters we've got on display between Charlie Grigg and DC Thomson discussing Grigg's work.

"The seaside postcards are good to have a little chuckle at and we've got a video playing of interviews.

"Those videos are playing throughout the exhibition and it's about 40 minutes long."

It will run until November 2018 before touring in a smaller form around libraries in the area.

The exhibition is the latest move to mark the work of Charlie and follows the installation of a blue plaque at Rood End Primary School where he was a pupil in his younger years.

The plaque for Charlie, which describes him as a children's comic illustrator, celebrates his work for the two comics and describes him as one of the best illustrators in British comics.