Dimbola Museum and Galleries has launched 2 major summer exhibitions celebrating one of Britain’s most influential writers and the colourful history of the Isle of Wight Festival.
Beginning on 13th June until 13th September, J.B. Priestley – The Isle of Wight Years in the Main Gallery explores the life and work of the celebrated author, broadcaster and social commentator, who lived on the Isle of Wight between 1933 and 1959.
Curated by Priestley’s granddaughter, Sophie Whittall, the exhibition reveals how the Island’s landscapes and way of life influenced the prolific writer, whose best-known work, An Inspector Calls, has remained on the GCSE curriculum since the 1980s.
Despite his fame, little has previously been documented about Priestley’s years on the Isle of Wight. The exhibition sheds light on his time at Billingham Manor, purchased for £2,000 in 1933, and later at Brook Hill, where the family lived throughout the 1950s.
Visitors can discover Priestley’s many interests, including farming, music and walking, as well as view personal artefacts such as one of the typewriters he carried with him around the world. Copies of several of his books, including An Inspector Calls and Rain Upon Godshill, are also on display.
The exhibition also highlights Priestley’s work in film and television, including the 1954 adaptation of An Inspector Calls starring Alastair Sim and his screenwriting role on Jamaica Inn.
Sophie Whittall, who spent her childhood holidays on the Island and now lives in the West Wight, believes her grandfather’s idyllic surroundings helped inspire his extraordinary output of more than 100 books.
Also opening for the summer is A Pictorial History of the Isle of Wight Festival 1968-2009 by the late Island artist Gemma Bell in the Studio Gallery.
The exhibition showcases artwork commissioned by festival organisers – Solo, in 2009 to decorate a large backstage VIP tent. Bell created illustrations representing every major Isle of Wight Festival from 1968 to 2009, drawing inspiration from posters, tickets, photographs and local memories.
Combining traditional painting techniques with digital methods, Bell’s work celebrates the enduring creative spirit of the world-famous festival. Although her life was cut short in 2011, her artwork continues to resonate with audiences.
The Studio Gallery exhibition will remain on display until 31st August.
Visitors can also explore Dimbola’s permanent Isle of Wight Festival collections and the museum’s new Experience Hendrix exhibition.
