Sacred Relics of Pop Art in London: Sir Peter Blake and “In the Studio” at Pitzhanger Manor

Every time we look at the cover of The Beatles’ legendary 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, we salute one of the most iconic images in modern cultural history. However, to define Sir Peter Blake—the brilliant mind behind this cover—solely by that album would do an injustice to his monumental art practice spanning seven decades. The founding father of the British Pop Art movement is bringing his famous Hammersmith studio directly into the gallery space this autumn. Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in London is already putting the monumental exhibition Peter Blake: In the Studio onto the no-26 radar, opening a window into the inner world of a living legend.

Exhibition Details:

• Exhibition: Peter Blake: In the Studio
• Artist: Sir Peter Blake
• Curators: Jake Twyford & Louise Shorr
• Venue: Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
• Dates: November 25, 2026 – April 18, 2027

This major retrospective, opening this coming November, transforms the artistic production of Sir Peter Blake (born 1932) spanning seven decades into an almost sacred pilgrimage for his admirers. At the heart of the exhibition will be a one-to-one, experiential reconstruction of the artist’s Hammersmith studio, located in West London just a short distance from the gallery.

Visitors will not merely look at canvases; they will walk among the very objects that inspired the pop culture collages, paintings, and prints bearing Blake’s signature. This is no ordinary workspace; it is a massive laboratory of the imagination formed by eccentric antiques, pop culture memorabilia, toys, and ephemera that the artist has collected from all over the world for decades.

From the “Swinging Sixties” Spirit to Ken Russell’s Frame

When Blake stormed the art scene in the early 1960s alongside figures like David Hockney, he became one of the first names to introduce Pop Art to the masses by appearing in Ken Russell’s famous BBC documentary Pop Goes the Easel. During London’s irrepressible “Swinging Sixties” era, he designed that history-altering Beatles cover along with his partner of the time, Jann Haworth.

The exhibition also sheds light on the deep cultural ties to the local area maintained by this 94-year-old titan, who has lived in the Chiswick district since 1957 (with the exception of a 10-year hiatus in Somerset).

• The Cultural Heritage of Ealing: The borough of Ealing plays host to the famous Ealing Club—where rock legends like The Rolling Stones and The Who had their first stage experiences—and Ealing Studios, which shaped cinematic history. The exhibition documents how Blake, an ardent cinema and music superfan and collector, fed on this local musical and film memory.

Another Intersection in Time: William Hogarth and Sir John Soane

Behind the exhibition taking place at Pitzhanger Manor lies a tremendous chronological intersection that will thrill art history enthusiasts. The manor’s iconic architect, Sir John Soane, and his wife, Eliza, were among the greatest admirers of William Hogarth (1697–1764), one of the founders of satire and British painting. In fact, they purchased Hogarth’s famous A Rake’s Progress series and hung it for the first time precisely upon the walls of Pitzhanger.

Saluting this historical bond, Peter Blake will display his most recent works—produced with inspiration from Hogarth’s Marriage à la Mode and Gin Lane—in the famous Small Drawing Room, where Soane originally exhibited Hogarth’s paintings centuries ago. The handwriting and visual humor of two different centuries will collide between the walls.

no-26 Travel Note and Current Agenda

Tickets will go on sale soon for this exhibition, which will be one of the heaviest hitters on the London art calendar in the final quarter of 2026. A “pay-what-you-wish” advantage will be offered on specific days for Ealing residents.

Live Calendar Note: Since the exhibition opens in November, an exciting waiting period lies ahead of us. It is worth reminding readers that right now (between June 17 and July 5, 2026), the main gallery space is temporarily closed for the installation of the next summer exhibition. However, the historic Pitzhanger Manor building continues to welcome visitors with the Marthe Armitage exhibition, alongside café and shop discounts included in the reduced-price ticket advantage. If your path takes you to London this autumn, make sure to step into this studio where the heart of Pop Art will beat.