Rethinking the Image

Image source: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/mars-red-yellow-and-brown-39072 (Accessed: 22 March 2026). © The Estate of Terry Frost

Terry Frost, Mars Red, Yellow and Brown (c. 1957), Leeds, The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, 127 cm x 76.2 cm, oil on canvas.

Over the past year and a half, I’ve visited many art galleries and exhibitions across the UK, documenting my experiences on this blog. I’ve often felt the need to come away from these visits with something other than my thoughts and reflections; during this time, a small collection of souvenir postcards has started to grow.

I aim to collect at least one postcard from each gallery I visit. I tend to go for postcards which reproduce modern and contemporary artworks, as this is mainly where my interests lie, although I do make occasional exceptions. Where a limited run of postcards has been produced to be sold alongside an exhibition, I always try to pick up one of these too. In all of this, my only hard rule is that the work which the postcard reproduces must be one that I’ve seen in person.

The reverse of each postcard typically contains some basic information about the artwork, such as the artist, title, date, medium and support, and dimensions, along with some copyright information and the gallery’s branding. It may also contain some additional information such as the gallery’s postcode or web address, an accession number, or details relating to the artwork’s provenance.

Some of these postcards feature a central dividing line and a designated space for a stamp, while others omit these typical features in acknowledgement of their likely function as souvenirs. They usually appear in standard A6 format, although it’s not uncommon to see them in A5 format either. They are generally sold for around £1 each – sometimes slightly more, sometimes slightly less.

For me, these postcards serve a dual purpose. They are, of course, cheap souvenirs whose purchase supports my favourite galleries, but they also act as useful source material. Although these glossy reproductions can in no way replicate the texture, scale, or even colour of the original works, they nonetheless help me to reflect on the feelings generated by them.

I also feel that, until the time comes when I can afford to fill a house with the work of my favourite artists, collecting these postcards is an enjoyable substitute; with a little bit of imagination, it can be something akin to curating your own, miniature art collection. As I prepare for an imminent trip down to London, I look forward to seeing what I can find.