Duckers & Diving: Bert’s proof he could Hackett

THIS week our usually culture-free contributor makes a rare visit to an art gallery….to look at cartoons.

DOWN to Bert Hackett’s cartoon exhibition at the MAC in Birmingham.

I would encourage you all to go and see it.

A great character.

For years did fantastic cartoons for The Birmingham Post under the Gemini banner.

A really acute observer of life.

There are some brilliant Bert classics on display including Tony Blair at the roulette table placing all his money on Iraq, and the ‘Find Bin Laden before John Simpson does’ competition.

I have several favourites.

On the 1983 disappearance of racehorse Shergar, there is O’Grady’s milk float charging down the road, bottles flying everywhere, with the driver saying to his assistant: “Our cover’s going to be blown unless we can slow him down”.

Terrific.

I also enjoyed Nigel Mansell getting an honorary degree from Birmingham University complete with endorsements plastered all over his gown.

Also, on Screen West Midlands putting forward Birmingham as a movie location, there is a film mogul, with fat cigar, pondering on the merits of The Good The Bad and Dudley and Dancing With Wolverhampton.

Linked to the exhibition they are selling postcards of Bert’s Selfridges cartoon with a Dalek crying “Momee” at the sight of the building, price 75p (that’s the postcard, not the building, albeit I am sure the Selfridge store haters would say that was about right).

An opportunity too to hear the great man on Tuesday August 13 when the MAC is staging an event at the Hexagon Theatre titled: “In Conversation: Bert Hackett with Dr Chris Upton”.

Admission is free.