Step inside Beryl Cook’s joyful world at Bicester Village

Self-taught British artist Beryl Cook loved shopping, famously stating that she wanted her ashes scattered in department store Littlewoods in her home town of Plymouth. So a collaboration with luxury shopping destination Bicester Village is a perfect fit. Cook came to prominence in the 1970s, carving out a hugely successful career that spanned four decades.

Her vibrant depictions of British life celebrate the joy in the everyday. Recognised for her exuberant style, Cook’s works capture the social milieu of her neighbourhood, and her representations of gender, sexuality and class are a sharp-eyed observance of those who were often excluded from mainstream representation.

Renowned for democratising the luxury shopping experience, Bicester Village has joined forces with Studio Voltaire, a London- based charity that endeavours to broaden access to contemporary art, in recognition of what would have been Cook’s 100th birthday. The artist’s larger-than-life characters, which once inhabited pubs and bars, streets and bingo halls, now populate the length and breadth of the Village in a joyful mile-long installation, while a House of Voltaire pop-up store offers an exclusive capsule collection that includes very rare original Cook paintings, limited-edition prints and gifts, alongside artisanal craft pieces and works by renowned contemporary artists.

All sales support the not-for-profit’s artistic and community programmes. ‘To me, Beryl’s work primarily celebrates the joy of ordinary human interaction,’ says The Bicester Collection’s deputy chairman James Lambert. ‘This is something we strive to do in every aspect of the experience at Bicester Village. Both Studio Voltaire and Bicester Village aim to break down traditional barriers, one in the art world and the other in the world of luxury retail, making these more accessible for everyone to enjoy.’

‘I didn’t grow up in a household that regularly went to galleries and museums, and growing up, Beryl Cook was one of the first living artists I was aware of,’ says Studio Voltaire director Joe Scotland. ‘Her most enduring images centre on women eating in cafés, socialising in pubs or carousing at ribald hen parties. Everyone is having so much fun, and there is no sense of shame.’ Scotland continues, ‘Make sure to visit the pop-up store. It’s a chance to take home a piece of cultural history while supporting our charity’s work and future generations.’

‘House of Voltaire presents Beryl Cook and Friends’ is on view until 25 October 2026 at Bicester Village, Oxfordshire OX26 6WD

bicestervillage.com

houseofvoltaire.org