Ian Kennedy exhibition at Thought Bubble

By John Freeman on October 23, 2022

The Art of Ian Kennedy: Exhibition 2022 - Mercer Gallery

Harrogate’s Mercer Gallery is to host The Art of Ian Kennedy, a three month long exhibition of the work of the much missed Commando cover artist and comic artist.

Officially opening during the Thought Bubble Festival, the exhibition has been curated by Phillip Vaughan and Commando comic editor Gordon Tait.

Thanks to Neil Kennedy and Gladys Kennedy they had access to Ian’s personal archive, resulting in a phenomenal wealth of imagery on offer.

The exhibition launches on Friday 11th of November 2022 and runs for three months.

*Ian Kennedy at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in 2018, finishing a Dan Dare artwork during a Live Draw with Cam Kennedy*

One of the pieces that is going into the show… Phillip tells us there will be a few gems from 2000AD and Dan Dare, but the majority will be Commando or DC Thomson published artwork — *One of the pieces that is going into the show. Phillip tells us there will be a few gems from 2000AD and Dan Dare, but the majority will be Commando or DC Thomson published artwork*

The exhibition should prove a wonderful tribute to Ian, who, sadly, passed earlier this year, and is much missed by many in the British comics community.

Thought Bubble is the Yorkshire Comic Art Festival running 4th – 13th November. A week long celebration of comics, illustration and more spread across the whole of Yorkshire, finishing in a huge two day comic convention in Harrogate. Using the festival week to promote the power of comics, the organising team believe they can inspire, educate and bring people together like no other medium, so whether you’re a long-time fan of comic art or have never picked up a graphic novel before, you’ll find something for you

• The Art of Ian Kennedy: Exhibition Launch Party 6.00 – 7.30pm Friday 11th November Mercer Gallery, 31 Swan Road, Harrogate HG1 2SA | More info on the Thought Bubble web site

WEB LINKS

• On downthetubes: Tributes to Ian Kennedy

• The Inimitable Ian Kennedy: A Tribute by Calum Laird

• On downthetubes: Comic Creator Spotlight: Ian Kennedy (2015)

• Red Dagger: Graphic Novels by Any Other Name – by Jeremy Briggs

• Red Dagger Checklist – compiled by Jeremy Briggs

• The Official Ian Kennedy Web Site

• Ian Kennedy – Official Twitter

• The Art of Ian Kennedy Facebook Group

• Commando Comics – Official Site

• Recent Ian Kennedy covers on the Commando web site

• Buy The Art of Ian Kennedy from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

• Wildcat 1 – Turbo Jones here on amazon.co.uk (Affiliate Link)

• Lambiek: Ian Kennedy

• Ian Kennedy art on Comic Art Fans

With thanks to Phillip Vaughan

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.