Paperback, fully illustrated, 132 pages, W214 x H259mm
This book was published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Ikon Gallery, founded in 1963 as a ‘gallery without walls’, and started as a co-operative of artist-volunteers to challenge a conservative local art world. It contains interviews with the founding artists as well as biographies of 12 artists associated with the gallery during the 1960s.
Some of the Best Things in Life Happen Accidentally presented work by the four founder artists - Jesse Bruton, Robert Groves, Sylvani Merilion and David Prentice, alongside work by some of the others selected for the artistic programme during the vital early years - Fred Bazler, Peter Berry, Trevor Denning, Kenneth Hughes, Dinah Prentice, John Salt, Pamela Scott Wilkie and Patrick Venton.
The publication features a foreword and essay by Ikon Director, Jonathan Watkins, colour reproductions of the artwork featured in the show, a list of works, interviews with the artists, a chronology of Ikon's exhibitions and the artists’ biographies.