Exhibition Production Diary continued

Tom Adams’ Christie Cover Story Diary 

Facsimile of Public Record Office Book M.DCCC.XIX (1819)

Card Packs

• Since picking up the 500 card packs just before the festive season began, I have been busy negotiating orders with National Trust shops, Museums and a number of other specialised retailers. It is now vital to spread the word and get some return on the investment in order to finance the next edition presenting further twelve of the iconic images. It is also my hope that these card packs will raise Tom Adams profile in the build up towards the forthcoming exhibition in August 2012 in Torquay Museum.

Exhibition space

• After a further meeting with the Marketing Director and Exhibition Manager of Torquay Museum on December 16^th 2011 the design of the exhibition is starting to take shape in my mind. The space allocated in the Museum is sizeable, but not particularly ideal. The space has very high ceilings in a large rectangular room that has a cold and clinical feel. Even though there is a track system for spot-lights I am concerned about the height of the lights. For Tom’s minutely detailed paintings with an average size of 40 x 50cm a reasonably intimate space would be more desirable. We also have a long rectangular glass show cabinet available for the artifacts. Within its limitations I am hoping to create an environment appropriate to the work on display and aim for the exhibition to have an inviting, interesting and dynamic atmosphere.

Paintings

• Having been able to assemble thirteen original Christie cover paintings for Tom’s retrospective exhibition in 2006 I know already some of his collectors and the whereabouts of some of the paintings. At the time I included works across the whole spectrum of Toms career whereas this time the exhibition is concentrating on Tom Adams’ Agatha Christie Cover Story only. For some time now I have been on a mission to find additional paintings. Spending time with Tom and jogging his memory I have been given some leads. In particular I would like to find 'The Sitaford Mystery', since I have this rather bizarre Antelope Head and the 'Evil under the Sun' to mach up with the wonderful driftwood.

All in all things are looking good with the paintings I have been able to locate and the owners of the paintings are generously agreeing to loan them to us for the next two years (to tour the exhibition after Torquay). I think the chances are, that I might be able to present around twenty originals if not more. I think it is fair to say, that to raise the profile of an artist through an exhibition is an advantage to any collector.

As soon as possible I will go on a road trip collecting the paintings that are waiting for me dotted around the country.

Artefacts

• Knowing that Tom had always gone to enormous length in his research while planning his paintings, I suspected that there might still be some of the artefacts or props around that he used for study and in his paintings. Sure enough we have found a number of the objects integral to some of the paintings. To my delight, it also emerged that apparently there is a box full of sketches, drawings, reviews and articles relating to the covers somewhere in Tom’s attic. Bearing in mind Tom’s age, things tend to take a bit of time to be remembered and to re surface. I am hoping to get these shortly.

Tying up all these items with the paintings will start to tell the story for the exhibition. 

Projector

• In the mean time I am investigating the practicalities of installing a projector into the exhibition, broadcasting a small film demonstrating Tom’s working practice. Not only would such an addition be interesting to other practitioners and students in its content but would also add movement and the dynamic of modernity to the exhibition. Further it would extend the interest to a yet wider audience therefore adding extra value, when offering the exhibition to other venues. A small film/presentation would have to be made either from existing material or perhaps in interview form.

           Budget constraints make such endeavors always more difficult then they ought   

           to be at first conception. However I am in discussion with a number of people   

           that might be willing to lend a hand in making this possible.

At this stage the material for the exhibition is coming gradually together. It is only when I have everything in my hands that I can start to write the story and construct the exhibition in full.