The magazine Private Eye has been in publication for 50 years. Outstanding journalism coupled with humorous cartoons and captions and tongue-in-cheek announcements, provides a satirical commentary on politics and society, ensuring that Private Eye stands apart from all other political magazines, humorous or otherwise.
To mark the 50th anniversary the V&A Museum has mounted an exhibition featuring trademark front covers, artwork, and publishing ephemera, selected by the magazine's long-standing award-winning editor, Ian Hislop, who commented: ″At last. Private Eye makes an art of itself.″
Private Eye: the first 50 years looks at how graphic satire and humour has been put to good use in conveying the results of hard-hitting investigative journalism. The Eye has worked closely with joint curators Julius Bryant (Keeper of the V&A's Word and Image Department) and Elizabeth James (Senior Librarian of the same department).
Private Eye: the first 50 years – What's On Show?
The exhibition explores three main themes: politics, royalty and social observation.
Ian Hislop has selected 50 trademark front covers, one from every year of the magazine's existence. The front covers are displayed as a time-line, providing a humorous reminder of 50 years of news. Particular favourites are; No.340 (10th January, 1975), and No.1147 (9th-22nd December, 2005). The editor's desk, scattered with papers, has been recreated to offer viewers a glimpse into the making of the magazine. Also on show are rarely seen items relating to the many court cases that Private Eye has been embroiled in, together with a life-sized cut out of Tony Blair, a flying Robert Maxwell, a stuffed dog, and a giant inflatable banana!
The installation also features some of the original artwork for the finest and funniest sketches by artists such as Cluff (John Longstaff), Barry Fantoni, Michael Heath, John Kent, Ed McLachlan, Nick Newman, Rupert Redway, William Rushton, Gerald Scarfe, Ralph Steadman and Robert Thompson, many of whom started their careers at Private Eye. The artwork takes the form of single cartoons with captions, caricatures, and long-running strips.
Private Eye: the first 50 years – Publication
To supplement the exhibition Private Eye Productions Limited has published a 312-hardback book entitled Private Eye: the first 50 years. The publication has been written by Adam McQueen who came to the Eye on work experience in 1997. Apart from a two-year period as deputy editor and subsequently acting editor of the Big Issue (1999-2002), he is still at the Eye! His work appears mainly on the Street of Shame and Media Newspages, and he also compiles the Eye's Number Crunching Column. Adam McQueen is also author of The King of Sunlight: How William Lever Cleaned Up The World.
Private Eye: the first 50 years is a free exhibition at the V&A Museum running from 18th October 2011 to 8th January 2012. Further details are available from the V&A.
Frances Spiegel - Frances Spiegel, B.A. Hons. (Open)., Dip.Eur.Hum., read Art History/European Modern History at the Open University.
