Alternative Values

Frieda Hughes's poems and paintings reflect her early years in Devon and Yorkshire; and her later experiences when living in London; Australia; and most recently; Wales. From childhood; writing and painting have been the two driving forces behind her commitment to life. They first came together in her illustration of two of her seven published children's books; and through her cartoons - she was cartoonist for the West Australian Magazine when living in Western Australia in the early 90s. In 2002 Frieda Hughes received a NESTA Award to undertake her work on Forty-five; a summary of her life to that age in 45 poems and a 225 foot long; 4 foot high; 45 panel abstract depicting the emotional landscape of her life. This was the beginning of a growing collaboration between her poetry and her artwork; which is now further realised in Alternative Values; which includes 60 full-colour plates of both her abstract and her semi-figurative work. The paintings were shown at the Belgravia Gallery; London; where the book was launched in October 2015. 'What do we mean to each other and how are we valued? It's all about perspective; many of these poems explore relationships; attitudes; and how we look back at our childhoods with the eyes of adults; so often having lost that sense of what it was actually like to be a child; when we stumbled into our future with fear; hope or trepidation. Here; I subject my own history and childhood to examination in respect of the way I see others; and myself.' - Frieda Hughes on Alternative Values