A home for illustration

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration opened its doors in June 2026. The new permament home in Clerkenwell, London is in a former derelict waterworks known as New River Head which has been restored beautifully by award-winning practice Tim Ronalds Architects. Their scheme has preserved the industrial character of the buildings and enhances the site’s biodiversity while creating accessible exhibition galleries, a learning studio, a project space, a café-event space and a shop, surrounded by beautifully tranquil gardens. 

The galleries are over three floor and the initial offer has three exhibitions, Queer Comics showcasing zines and graphic novels from the 1940's to present day with highlights including drawings from Tove Jansson’s 1954 Moomin cartoon strip for the London Evening News and works by influential creators such as Kate Charlesworth, Rupert Kinnard and David Shenton. On the middle floor there is a show of Quentin Blake's performance related illustration work. But the highlight for me was on the top floor that houses the first solo show for Sri-Lankan/Welsh Illustrator Murugiah: Ever Feel Like...

'Murugiahs work reflects on his life and identity, drawing on his Sri Lankan heritage and Welsh upbringing. His flower-, elephant- and skull-headed characters are influenced by a youth playing Nintendo, listening to pop punk and watching Saturday morning cartoons. Fused with references to Hollywood film and Sri Lankan art and design, works range from new sculpture and painting to commercial print and animation.'

I was fairly familiar with his work but hadn't put a name to the work and was overjoyed to stumble into this show and be captivated by his surreal assault on the senses, bizarre characters and worlds wear their influences very much in plane site but you don't care, he has borrowed and reworked and found something fresh.

The Murugiah show runs til 31 August 2026 tickets are available here