Fizzers
Encyclopedia
Fizzers is a Scottish
slang
word for “faces”. It is the title used by the Scottish Cartoon Art Studio
for books and exhibitions featuring their caricature
artwork.
In April 2006, Mercat Press Ltd of Edinburgh
published the first Fizzers book, subtitled Famous Scottish Faces Caricatured. The book featured a foreword by the Scottish stage and screen actor Brian Cox, and included over one hundred caricatures. The book is now available from Birlinn Limited
.
The first Fizzers exhibition, subtitled The Alternative Portrait Gallery, ran at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
, Edinburgh from 7 April to 2 July 2006. The show featured over two hundred and fifty pieces and marked the first occasion on which the Gallery had displayed contemporary caricature work in such a manner. Four of the caricatures where acquired as permanent additions to the gallery's collection in April 2007. These were caricatures of the late comedian Chic Murray, lead singer of Wet Wet Wet
Marti Pellow
, golf champion Sam Torrance
and darts champion Jocky Wilson
.
Fizzers caricatures were shown at the Platform art space in Easterhouse
from 11 March to 5 April 2009. Fizzers: Well Kent Scottish Faces at the People's Palace
and Winter Gardens, Glasgow, ran from 18 July to 4 October 2009. Marking the studio’s tenth anniversary, the show featured work previously seen at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery as well as a dozen entirely new caricatures.
Fizzers pieces are not executed in the traditional, satirical
mode of British caricature epitomised by Gerald Scarfe
, but are inspired by the works of European artists such as Sebastian Krüger
and Patrice Ricord.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
word for “faces”. It is the title used by the Scottish Cartoon Art Studio
Scottish Cartoon Art Studio
The Scottish Cartoon Art Studio is a commercial art studio based in Glasgow, Scotland, made up of a group of professional cartoonists working on a collaborative basis. In this respect the Studio is unique in Scotland....
for books and exhibitions featuring their caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
artwork.
In April 2006, Mercat Press Ltd of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
published the first Fizzers book, subtitled Famous Scottish Faces Caricatured. The book featured a foreword by the Scottish stage and screen actor Brian Cox, and included over one hundred caricatures. The book is now available from Birlinn Limited
Birlinn Limited
Birlinn Limited is an independent publishing house based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Established in 1992 by Managing Director Hugh Andrew, Birlinn Limited is composed of a number of imprints, including, among others:...
.
The first Fizzers exhibition, subtitled The Alternative Portrait Gallery, ran at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery on Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. It holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. In addition it also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection...
, Edinburgh from 7 April to 2 July 2006. The show featured over two hundred and fifty pieces and marked the first occasion on which the Gallery had displayed contemporary caricature work in such a manner. Four of the caricatures where acquired as permanent additions to the gallery's collection in April 2007. These were caricatures of the late comedian Chic Murray, lead singer of Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow has been the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet since their formation in 1982. He has also recorded solo material.-Early life:...
, golf champion Sam Torrance
Sam Torrance
Sam Torrance OBE is a Scottish professional golfer and sports commentator. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1970s to the late 1990s, with 21 Tour wins. Torrance was a member of European Ryder Cup teams on eight occasions, from 1981 to 1995 consecutively; he was...
and darts champion Jocky Wilson
Jocky Wilson
John Thomas Wilson known as "Jocky" Wilson, is a former Scottish darts champion. He retired from the game in 1995.Wilson was twice World professional Darts Champion in 1982 and 1989...
.
Fizzers caricatures were shown at the Platform art space in Easterhouse
Easterhouse
Easterhouse is a suburb about east of Glasgow city centre, Scotland. It was partially built on land gained from the county of Lanarkshire as part of a boundary expansion of Glasgow before the Second World War. Building began in the mid-1950s by the then local authority, Glasgow Corporation...
from 11 March to 5 April 2009. Fizzers: Well Kent Scottish Faces at the People's Palace
People's Palace
The People's Palace and Winter Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland is a museum and glasshouse situated in Glasgow Green, and was opened on 22 January, 1898 by the Earl of Rosebery....
and Winter Gardens, Glasgow, ran from 18 July to 4 October 2009. Marking the studio’s tenth anniversary, the show featured work previously seen at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery as well as a dozen entirely new caricatures.
Fizzers pieces are not executed in the traditional, satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
mode of British caricature epitomised by Gerald Scarfe
Gerald Scarfe
Gerald Anthony Scarfe, CBE, RDI, is an English cartoonist and illustrator. He worked as editorial cartoonist for The Sunday Times and illustrator for The New Yorker...
, but are inspired by the works of European artists such as Sebastian Krüger
Sebastian Kruger
Sebastian Krüger is a German artist. Sebastian Krüger was born in Hamelin in 1963. After studying free painting...
and Patrice Ricord.