Dock showcase for Sgt Pepper artist

Aug 3 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

POP art lovers will be able to take their pick from one of the biggest collections of prints and memorabilia at a new gallery dedicated solely to the work of Sgt Pepper artist Peter Blake.

Blake’s Heaven in the Albert Dock has opened near to Tate Liverpool where a retrospective of his work is on display.

The gallery has been opened by owner and curator Lydia Bates, founder of the city centre Art Finder gallery, off Castle Street.

She has created an ever-expanding catalogue of hundreds of Blake’s prints, originals and other works, and is constantly tracking down more items to add.

Although some prints adorn the walls of the small dockside gallery, Ms Bates’s full catalogue can be browsed through and ordered from.

Blake’s Heaven keeps with the ethos of her first gallery as a way of bringing art to potential buyers without having to leave the city.

She said: “With the Peter Blake retrospective on at the Tate now, it seemed like the obvious thing to do.

“It’s a great location here, and it just seemed like an ideal opportunity because he is so well known for his prints.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever catalogued his print work, because he’s been doing this for the best part of 40 years and there is just so much.”

Ms Bates first met Peter Blake working in PR, when the artist became involved in a Capital of Culture bid project in which he recreated his famous Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover with famous Liverpudlian figures.

He has given his approval to the Blake’s Heaven project.

Ms Bates, 29, added: “Blake’s prints are largely undervalued at the moment and so are affordable, from £100 up to £4,500, which compared to the price of a Damien Hirst or Banksy, is not much for an artist of his pedigree. Really, he is one of the people who developed pop art, alongside Warhol.”

Explaining the ethos behind her galleries, Ms Bates said: “It’s about providing really good quality artwork to people without having to leave Liverpool.

“The whole idea is that I can find art for people – sort of like a personal shopper.

“It’s not about me pushing my tastes on people, I exhibit a range of styles to show as much as possible the sort of things I have access to.”

The original Art Finders gallery, which opened last September, has shown every-thing from the Old Masters to original comic book art.

The gallery, on Queen Avenue, is currently exhibiting work from Liverpool artist Peter Chan.

Blake’s Heaven is currently a temporary gallery that will be at the Albert Dock until at least the end of the summer.

All items will be available on permanent website www. blakes-heaven.com

vickyanderson