It is always such a treat to attend an exhibition at the V&A, which are always so flawlessly curated, so we were delighted to see Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser this week. Celebrating Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, the displays tell the story of the real Alice, the process of developing the tales and illustrations and the impact of Alice on the arts up until the present day.
It was fascinating to learn more about the author, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who’s pen name evolved from the Latin versions of his first and middle names. He worked as a lecturer of mathematics at Oxford but was also a pioneer of photography. He created logic games for his family and loved word play – both of which clearly influenced the scholarly use of linguistics and ingenious plot twists which characterise his much-loved books.
The theme of the exhibition is ‘be more Alice’, inviting you to be more curious and inquisitive about the world around you, and encouraging you to have Alice’s strength of spirit.
Highlights of the exhibition include Carroll’s original hand-written manuscript, Tenniel’s illustrations, photographs of the author and the real-life Alice, a timeline of screen adaptations of the tales, Alice-inspired merchandise, advertising and fashions.
Be sure to purchase the beautifully illustrated exhibition book at the end so that you can immerse yourself in the wonders of this fascinating exhibition again and again when you get home!
Tickets can be purchased directly from the V&A website.