Beryl Cook: Pride And Joy

2026 marks both Cook’s centenary and 50 years since the 1976 Sunday Times feature that launched her career following her first exhibition at Plymouth Arts Centre in 1975. She produced an estimated 500 paintings during her lifetime, many of which have become instantly recognisable through their commercial success. But, although her colourful paintings made her beloved by millions, critics consistently dismissed her work as mere kitsch.

Pride and Joy argues for a radical reassessment. Through subjects such as drag queens, working-class women at bingo halls, plus-size bodies celebrating their physicality and LGBTQ+ nightlife, Cook documented communities and identities that were actively marginalised with genuine affection, technical mastery and unflinching honesty. Her work from the 1970s to 2000s captures working-class joy, body positivity, and queer culture with a sophistication that’s only now being fully recognised.