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WATCH: Southbank Centre displaying Quentin Blake illustrations to celebrate British culture

The Southbank Centre is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Festival of Britain with a series of illustrations commissioned from Quentin Blake.

The characters are intended to represent key figures from British art and culture, or amalgamations of a few individuals, including David Bowie, Elton John, and Nina Simone.

Blake, 95, is widely renowned for his collaborations with author Roald Dahl on a number of extremely successful children’s books.

His art style is often described as distinct and full of character.

Southbank Centre head of literature Ted Hodgkinson said: “We’re celebrating the iconic characters and performers who’ve appeared on our stages.”

“Over 50% of what we do here is free and accessible to everyone, and this project was a way of extending that welcome.”

The artworks are free to visit and will be displayed until November this year.

Watch the video below for the full story.

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