A- Stairway Art (original to the ship)

[Chris Frame]

Does anyone recall the art work on the A-Stairway on QE2?

What were your thoughts of it - very different to the rest of the art aboard QE2 but original from her launch - some loved it, others hated it - what about you?

[Rob Lightbody]

I loved it because it was original.  It was interesting.  You had to know it was original though, and get in the mood.  That stairway was like a wee capsule of 1968 QE2 and you had to love it for that - even the lovely non-fake-wood original "melamine" type wall lining.

Would I hang most of the pics on my wall?  Oh no!

[Rob Lightbody]

Isabelle has a complete record of the pictures...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/tags/astairway/

[Chris Frame]

Great collection - it was it's own little world the A Stairway wasn't it.

[Twynkle]

QE2, The Art of "A" Stair

http://travel.webshots.com/album/569008832liOnAH
NOTE: link not working

With thanks to the photographer!

It's interesting to that some have small brass labels;
might 'someone' (!) on the forum name the artists?

[Rob Lightbody]

Wonderful!  Hope they're still there, and I'm led to believe that they still will be!  Nakheel - please leave them there!!  Or, at the very least, leave them on board on display somewhere!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Isabelle has a complete record of the pictures...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/tags/astairway/

Not complete by any means, but enough to give a basic idea of what was there...

I must admit that I walked up and down that stairway many a time before looking at that artwork properly. Knowing that September 2008 would be my last chance, had the effect of concentrating my mind wonderfully.

Most of the artwork from Five Deck up to the entrance of the Mauretania Restaurant on Upper Deck, was etchings by Graham Sutherland, of which I photographed only these two :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123820586/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123815082/

Many of them were quite gruesome, and of course the lighting did not make photography any easier...

Upwards from there, an unknown artist whose work I found amusing and intriguing -- I pored over lovely details for a while :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123835112/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123006423/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123829332/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123000531/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3122997803/

None of these pictures were as yellow as the photos make them seem.

Finally, on the Boat Deck landing, near the Britannia figurehead and the entrance to the Queen's Grill, the large and beautiful 7-piece panel called "The Sea" -- actually the half-size cartoon for window panels in St Andrew's Church, Wolverhampton, by John Piper (1959) :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3123838472/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3125071650/

If I remember Bruce Peter's opinion well, he thought that this panel was the best piece of original art on the QE2.

I wonder whether anyone knows St Andrew's church in Wolverhampton -- does it have the full-size version of this picture?

[Twynkle]

This is a lovely study by Piper for the window, Isabelle.

There were (in the early days), work by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore as well
does anyone remember...?


Please let it all still be intact...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/luxury/2062608/Battle-to-block-QE2-art-export-to-Dubai.html

[Rob Lightbody]

QE2, The Art of "A" Stair

http://travel.webshots.com/album/569008832liOnAH

With thanks to the photographer!

It's interesting to that some have small brass labels;
might 'someone' (!) on the forum name the artists?

The photographer is our very own Stowaway2k

[Michael Gallagher]

Note from the Forum Administrator - this text below may not be used outwith this forum without permission.


From the top of A Stairway down...      

BOAT DECK         
‘The Sea’ Glass Panels

UPPER DECK down to QUARTER DECK
11 x Pen and Ink Sketches included in the original artwork for QE2.

QUARTER DECK      
4 x Graham Sutherland
                  
ONE DECK         
3 x ‘The Life of Ludwig Wittgenstein’
Signed, limited edition prints by Eduardo Paolozzi (1965).

ONE DECK down
5 x Graham Sutherland

TWO DECK down
4 x Graham Sutherland

THREE DECK down
4 x Graham Sutherland

FOUR DECK    down
4 x Graham Sutherland

DETAILS:

Glass Panels: ‘The Sea’ (1959) by John Piper. Seven panels. Half size cartoon for panels of window in St Andrew’s Church, Wolverhampton. Originally located on the outside of the Midships Bar from 1969 until 1994 when it was located here.

The ‘Ink Sketches’: 11 x Pen and Ink Sketches included in the original artwork for QE2 and located here in 1994.

The Silkscreens: ‘The Life of Ludwig Wittgenstein: 3 signed, limited edition prints by Eduardo Paolezzi located here since 1994: ‘Abstract Composition with Photographic Elements’ (edition 39/65); ‘Abstract Composition’ (edition 29/65) and ‘Two Heads with City in Background’ (edition 39/65).

THE SUTHERLANDS

QUARTER DECK: 4 x Sutherland - ‘Ants’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Sheet Studies’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Bird About to Take Flight’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Ram’s Head (full face)’ 1968 lithograph
                  
ONE DECK down: 5 x Sutherland – untitled; ‘Chave-Souris in a Looking Glass Against a Window’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Chained Beast’ 1967 lithograph; ‘Sheet of Studies (head)’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Owl (rose ground)’ 1968 lithograph

TWO DECK down: 4 x Sutherland - ‘Three Organic Forms’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Ram’s Head (with rocks and skeletons)’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Ram’s Head (facing left)’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Sheet of Studies (organic)’ 1969 lithograph

THREE DECK down: 4 x Sutherland - ‘Insect (simulating seeds)’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Submerged Form’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Emerging Insect’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Chauves Souris (interior) 1967 lithograph

FOUR DECK    down: 4 x Sutherland - ‘Bird Form (full face)’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Beetles II (with electric lamp)’ 1968 lithograph; ‘Bird and Mouse’ 1968 lithograph; untitled

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Michael, this is superb information! Thank you for making it available to us. I hope to put it to good use when back inside QE2 and walking up A Stairway...

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Michael, you mention these sketches I liked :

UPPER DECK down to QUARTER DECK
11 x Pen and Ink Sketches included in the original artwork for QE2.

Yes, the little plaques said the same. Would you know what "included in the original artwork for QE2" means?

Would an artist be known?

Not that it really matters. Whoever drew them, and whenever or wherever that was, they were just so well done, and so wittily done too. Once I stopped to have a proper look at them, I spent a lovely moment looking at the details of each one, they were so pleasing to observe...

[Andy F]

A wonderful collection from Isabelle and thanks also to Michael for your detailed information about the pieces in question. 

Strange how one doesn't always appreciate things until later.  I must have passed these panels many times when passing through the ship and although clearly aware of their existence, I regret not taking the time to study them in detail.  I guess that's true of most things in life but fortunately I am able to do so now!

[QE2lover]

My favorite "A" Stairway art was the ants on the cross.

[richc1977]

I found this online, looks familiar )

[Link no longer works]

Modified to add this too!

[No longer working link replaced by this one :

https://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/news/2018/05/john-piper-exhibition-john-piper-in-the-west-midlands-part-1-/]

[Twynkle]

Hi Richard - Well found!
John Piper has always had a strong following.
His stained glass is superb.
Have you seen his pen and ink drawings?
One of his 'given' names is 'Christmas' -
perhaps that's one of the reasons that his work is often found in cathedrals!!
Rosie

[trevorc]

My favorite artwork aboard QE2. I wish I could be able to have a small scale copy of "The Sea"

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

My favorite artwork aboard QE2. I wish I could be able to have a small scale copy of "The Sea"

Wouldn't it be lovely if one of us was able to go and view the original in St Andrew's Church in Wolverhampton... worth a detour for someone travelling within the UK?

[Andy Holloway]

Personally, i always thought that some of the artwork on 'A' Stairway was hideous and had been deliberately put there to frighten children away and prevent them from going anywhere near '1st Class'/Queen's Grill!

[Thomas Hypher]

Personally, i always thought that some of the artwork on 'A' Stairway was hideous and had been deliberately put there to frighten children away and prevent them from going anywhere near '1st Class'/Queen's Grill!

The Wardroom at the top of A Stairwell put me off walking into Queen's Grill    (not really the thought of going into off limits first class places didn't occur to me as a "commoner").