About Earnshaw
Biography
Born Ilkley, W. Yorks, 1924, the year Lenin died and Breton published his first Manifesto. At the age of 20, through an interest in poetry and literature, he discovered Surrealism."It changed my life. Since then I have drawn drawings and a cartoon strip, painted pictures, written books of a sort, printed prints, made assemblages in boxes and all in all made a general nuisance of myself."
AUTOGRAPHICAL SKETCH "An interest in poetry in the 1940's led to a discovery of Surrealism. This was a milestone for it made me want to paint pictures which around 1944, 1945, I began to try my hand at. A little later, in greedy quest for more Surrealism I made rare trips to London to visit the London Gallery which was run by the poet E.L.T. Mesens. I never met Mesens, he was ever away in Paris or Brussels. I do recall seeing George Melly, then the Gallery 'dogsbody'. Some fifteen years on, in the early '60's, he and I became firm friends. Surrealism for me was home. I was among friends at last, having been away in a foreign land all my life. The spell of it then cast remains a frisky imp haunting my life. Towards the end of the '60s, twenty and more years after those days. Eric Thacker and I together wrote and illustrated two off-beat novels Musrum and Wintersol. We also collaborated to produce WOKKER, a strip cartoon featuring a mercurial hero who embodies the seemingly contradictory characteristics of mischief maker and an innocent abroad, dismayed by the prospect of existence. In the 50's I worked in the machine shop at Thos. Green & Son, Engineers, North Street (long ago bankrupt).
For a period I drove the overhead gantry crane lifting castings on and off the various machines and so on. Between lifts, most drivers read the racing page. Not me. Much to the amusement of my workmates I painted what they called, 'Daft pictures'. Perforce, they had to be small - have you ever been in the cramped cabin of a crane? At that time much of my work was painted under the eye, so to speak, of Paul Klee, then as always one of my heroes. Towards the end of the 60s my activities as a painter virtually petered out. Apart from the occasional 'dabble' I haven't painted since then. From then up to the mid '70s when I began to build assemblages, I was busy with my collaboration with Eric Thacker. I composed as well, an album of alphabets, Seven Secret Alphabets, which Cape published in 1972. An illustrated collection of 'aphorisms and insults', a kind of ongoing notebook, also occupied my time. This was published with the title Flick Knives & Forks by Transformaction, Harpford, in 1981. My collection of social realist drawings, which have been described as 'bitter' were published with the title A View from Back o' Town. Now, assemblage is the thing. It seems to me 'the assemblage' is more real, therefore more powerful than 'the painting'.
Anthony Earnshaw
TV and Radio Programmes
1987 View from Back‘O' Town, BBC Look North
Two English Surrealists, directed by Alex Marengo, BBC 2 10 October
View from Back‘O' Town, Radio Leeds interview
1989 On the Edge, Tyne Tees Television, 7 December.
1993 Kaleidoscope, Radio 4, 11 January.
2003 Flick Knives & Forks directed by John Clayton
Bibliography
1961 W.T.O. Oliver, Factory Hand's enigmatic watercolours, 31 Nov.
1968 George Melly, Musrum, Observer Colour Supplement, 6 October.
Philip Norman, Profile : Ahead of the Wolves, Sunday times, 31 March.
Jonothan Miller, Madly Lucid, Observer, 10 November.
Robert Nye, Fable or Joke, Birmingham Post, 23 November.
Anon., Odd looks for minister who writes ‘as I feel', Morning Telegraph,
27 December.
Pat Williams, Weird Word, Sunday Telegraph, 27 October.
Ivor Cutler, Dressing-table book, Sunday Times, 27 October.
Anon., Bumper fungus Book, Times Literary Supplement, 24 October.
Ray Gosling, I gave my copy to the trombonist, The Times, 26 October.
Martin Dodsworth, Duldrum, The Listener, 24 October.
David Piper, The poet dies again, Guardian, 8 November.
Anthony Powell, Surrealists at large, Daily Telegraph, 19 December.
Edward Lucie-Smith, Christmas Books 1, NewStatesman,
29 November.
Anon., Private Joke Book, Guardian 28 October.
Anon., "Indescribable' is the word, Halifax Courier, 25 October.
Alan R, Radnor, Visit a fantasy world, Evening Express, 2 November.
Anon., Musrum Developers,
Neil Spencer, Musrum,
1969 Douglas Wollen, Bookshelf, Methodist Magazine, March.
1970 George Melly, Revolt into Style, Alan Lane, The Penguin Press,
Harmondsworth.
1971 Michael McNay, A misanthropic Christmas, Guardian 25 November.
1972 W. L. Webb, Books of the Day, Guardian, 30 November.
Peter Fuller, Anthony Earnshaw, Arts review, 18 November.
George Melly, Signs and portents, Guardian 30 November.
Anon., Too trendy for words, Daily Mirror 6 November.
Anon., Tony's seven ways of saying ABC, Yorkshire Evening Post, 29 December.
1973 Anon., The Star, 1 March.
Peter Mackarell, Surreal Humour, Times Educational Supplement, 23 February.
I.B., Secret's of an artist's Visual Humour, Express and Echo, Exeter, 9 January.
1979 George Melly, A cold wind brushing the temple (catalogue). Arts Council of Great
Britain.
1980 John Lyle, The assassination of Pierot, Greenwich Theatre Gallery (catalogue),
London.
Jeff Nuttall, Three Artists, Guardian,
Tony Pusey, Melmoth 2, London.
1982 ‘Rover,' Leeds Other Paper, 26 March.
W.T,O. Oliver, Yorkshire Post,
John Hewitt, Boats of Splendour,
Rosanna Negrotti, Anthony Earnshaw, What's On,
1983 Patrick Hughes, More on Oxynoron, Penguin Books, New York.
1985 Miranda Strickland-constable, The Irrisitable Object, (catalogue) Leeds City Art
Gallery, Leeds.
1986 Ian Walker, The Spirit of Surrealism, Contrariwise ( catalogue) Glynn Vivian
Gallery, Swansea.
David Briars, Contrariwise, Art Monthly,
1987 Terry Waldron, Teeside vision mingled with a mean old world, Middlesbrough
Evening Gazette, 3 July.
Peter Inch, Anthony Earnshaw, Arts Review,
Robson's Choice, Submarines crewed by ex-miners, Workers Press, 17 October.
George Melly, Anthony Earnshaw, Leeds City Art Gallery (catalogue) Leeds.
Patrick Hughes, Earnshaw, Artline,
1988 Chris Bunyan, Anthony Earnshaw assemblages and Prints, Darts, 29 June.
Robert Clark, Anthony Earnshaw, Guardian, 10 June.
Les Coleman, A View from Back O' Town, Escape No, 16, London.
Ian Breakwell, City Limits, 29 December - 5 January.
Marie-Odile Gain D'Enquin, Les Jardins Du Roi Tony, Camouflage No19, Paris.
1989 Ian Breakwell, Tomes from the Tomb, City Limits, 5-12 January.
Maria Klein, Tim Lewis & Tony Earnshaw, Art Line No.7
1991 Terry Bennett, Drawn to Humour (catalogue) Cleveland Gallery, Middlesbrough.
George Melly, Paris and the Surrealists, Thames and Hudson, London.
Jean-Maria Wynants, Nonsense Dessurs Dessous, L'instant 4 April.
Jean-Maria Wynants, Surrealiste, n'est-il pas, ce nonsense britanique, La Sori, 4
April.
Bernice Saltzer, The Magnificent Seven, Mail 19 March.
Pru Farrier, Laughter and tears over the rainbow, Northern Echo,
W.E. Johnson, Drawn to Humour, Arts Review,
1993 Sue Hubbard, Anthony Earnshaw, Time Out,
1994 Anon., Worlds in a Box (calalogue) The South Bank Centre, London.
Xavier Canonne and Christian Bussy, Marcel Marien, Credit communal. Hainaut,
Belgium.
1995 Tony del Renzio, Art Monthly
Marie-Dominique Massoni, Eclairs d'eau, Editions Surrealistes:
1996 Robert Clark, Wall Game, Guardian 2 January.
1997 Jane Czyzelska, When I felt like it,
2000 Anon., Anthony Earnshaw, Flowers
Patrick Hughes, Lurking in Weeds, Flowers East (catalogue).
John Slyce, 1978-2000: the Boxed Earnshaw, Flowers East (catalogue).
Glen Baxter, Observer,
Paul Hammond, Desde el Palearticp al Tropic, Phillip West: The Surrealist
Found in Saragossa (catalogue) palacio de Sastago, Zarago.
2001 Anon., Anthony Earnshaw, Yorkshire Post, 21 August
George Melly, Anthony Earnshaw, Guardian 22 August.
Patrick Hughes, Anthony Earnshaw, Independent, 23 August
Anon., Mr. Anthony Earnshaw: artist with eye for the absurd, Darlington and
Stockton Times, 24 August.
Anon., Anthony Earnshaw, The Times, 25 August.
Dave Robson, In death as in life, The Evening Gazette, 31 August.
Anon., Tony Earnshaw 1924-2001, The whistler Journal No. 23, Chelsea Arts
Club.
T.F. Griffin, For Tony Earnshaw, Artscene, September.
Anon., Some farewell letters from Artscene, November.
2002 Les Coleman, The Rich Sardine Lives in his own Tin, Manticor No.6.
Gail Earnshaw, Anthony Earnshaw 1924-2001, Leeds Art Fair 2002 (catalogue).
2003 Robert Short, Anthony Earnshaw, Sculpture in 20C. Britain, Henry Moore
Institute.
2007 George Melly, Au Nord De Quoi? No.2, editions, Bonneville, Lille.
2009 Tanja Pirsig-Marshall and Lizzie Doicherty, British Surrealism In Context A Collector's Eye, Leeds Art Gallery.
Contributions in journals
1968 Surrealist Transformaction no. 2, Transformaction, Sidmouth
The Magazine NO. 8, I.C.A. London.
Surrealism in the City , Architectural Review, December.
1970 Surrealist Transformaction No. 3, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
Blue Food No. 1, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
Blue Food No. 2, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
1971 Surrealist Transformaction No. 4, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
1971/2 Wokker (with Eric Thacker) Times Educational Supplement, London.
1973 Surrealist Transformaction No. 5, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
Surrealist Transformaction No. 6, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
1974 Blue Food No 3, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
Les Levres Nues No. 10 (August).
Brumes Blondies No. 5 Amsterdam.
1975 Les Levres Nues, La Fauss Sortie, Brussels (March).
1976 Surrealist Transformaction no. 7, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
1977 Surrealist Transformaction no. 8, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
1979 Surrealist Transformaction no. 9, Transformaction, Sidmouth.
Les Nevre Nues, Le Cache - Sexe des Anges, Brussels.
Le La 6, Geneve.
1981 Not Poetry, Galloping Dog Press, Newcastle.
Event No. 10, London.
1982 Ellebore No. 8, Paris.
Camouflage No. 2 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
1983 Camouflage No.4 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
Camouflage No.5 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
1984 Camouflage No.6 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
Camouflage No 7 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
Camouflage No. 8 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
The Hourglass Review, No, 1, Hourglass, Paris.
1985 Homnesies, Paris.
Camouflage No. 9 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
Camouflage No. 10 Tomahawk Supplement, Paris.
Grid No, 2, Paris.
Grid No. 3/4, Paris.
De sac et de cord,. No.1 Paris.
Knuckleduster Funnies No. 1,2,3,4, Todmorden
De sac et de corde, No.2 Paris.
1986 Grid No. 5, English contributions to surrealism, Paris.
The Looker No. 8, M5 Press, Winscombe.
1987/9 The Truth, Wokker included in all 20 issues.
1988 Annual Jissom, G.T.O.G. Huddersfield.
1989 Extrance, No. 3, Bolton.
Les Levres Nues, Le moment venu, Brussels.
Freedom, Nos. 3,4,11. Freedom Press, London.
1990 Extrance, No. 4, Bolton.
The Looker No. 14, M5 Press, Winscombe.
1991 Les Levres Nues, Le Zenotage, Brussels.
Mensuel No. 126, Cirques Divers, Liege.
Mensuel No. 128, March, Cirques Divers, Liege.
Funny Looking, Collection Papier Journal, Editions du Cirque Divers, Liege.
Hotel Ouistiti, No. 11, Paris.
1992 Les Levres Nues, Le Qui - Vive, Brusels.
Les Levres Nues Terre - a - Terre, Brussels.
1993 Les Levres Nues, La Claine - Voie, Brussels.
1995/9 The Whistler Journal, Wokker strip, Chelsea Arts Club, London.
1996 Au Nord De Quoi, Editions Bonneville, Lille, France.
1997 Manticor No. 1, Leeds Surrealist Group, Leeds.
Manticor No. 2 , Leeds Surrealist Group, Leeds.
S.U.RR... No. 2, Editions surrealists, Paris.
2000 Manticor No. 5, Leeds Surrealist Group, Leeds.
2002 Manticor No.6, Leeds Surrealist Group, Leeds.
2003 S.U.RR ... No.4,(including supplement ecoutons voir) Editions surrealists, Paris.
2007 Au Nord de Quoi? Editions Bonneville, Lille, France.
Contribution to books
1966 Dongdeath and Jazzabeth, Eric Thacker, Location, Leeds.
The Sycamore Tree, ( with Patrick Hughes, Robin Page and Ron Swift) hors
Commerce. ( Edition of 4).
1981 5 x 5, Trigram Press, Hebden Bridge.
1984 More on Oxymoron, Patrick Hughes, Jonathan Cape, London.
1989 Clock Lips, Marie-Odile Gain D'Enquin, Hourglass, Paris.
1990 Seeing in the Dark, Serpent's Tail, London.
1991 Six English Surrealists (concertina of postcards) |Cirque Divers, Liege.
1994 Brought to Book, Penguin Books, Harmsworth.
1996 Craven Sur Craven, Marie-Odile Gain D'Enquin, Editions du Rewidiage, Lonpre
1997 Variations on a Theme, Les Coleman, Copy Book Number 4.
1998 Redstone Diary of the Absurd, Redstone Press, London.
1999 Dying for Eternity, Andrew Lanyon, hors commerce ( Edition of 200).
Pour Peter Wood, Hourglass, Paris.
2000 We Shall Strike for More Dreams, Peter Wood, Hourglass, Paris.
2001 Ecoutons Voir!, Leeds Surrealist Group, Leeds.
2006 Dr Clock's Handbook, Redstone Press, London.
Obituaries
The Guardian: Obituary written by George Melly (22/08/01).- The Independent: Obituary written by Patrick Hughes (23/08/01).
- The Times: Obituary (25/08/01).
- Yorkshire Post: Obituary written by (21/08/01).
- The Evening Gazette: Obituary written by Dave Robson (31/0801).
- Artscene: Some farwell letters (?/11/01).
- Les Colemans, farewell: Written March 2002.