In 1945, after returning from his duties as a War Artist in the Middle East, Edward Bawden wrote and illustrated a book about fantastical snails for his two young children called ‘Snails for All’. Last year The Higgins Bedford was gifted this amazing book for The Edward Bawden Archive. To celebrate this new acquisition the exhibition, of the same name, will display each page of the book alongside other works from the collection.
Snails for All is no ordinary book. Instead of domestic garden snails, the seven species included are fantastical beasts that share one thing in common: they can’t be found. These mythical creations include the Giant Tortoise Snail of Borneo, so giant that it pushes down trees as it moves; the Lovelies Snail who frequents mausoleums and “crawls over the bones of girls who have died of love”; and the undiscovered Heartsease snail, whose shell is encrusted with precious stones.
As part of the exhibition, The Higgins Bedford has run workshops with children from Putnoe Primary School and local artist Philippa McDonald to make artwork inspired by the book which will be displayed in the exhibition.
Snails for All is also being published for the first time with an accompanying essay by design, architecture and art historian Alan Powers. The book, published by No Pattern Ltd, will be available to buy from The Higgins Bedford Shop.
A programme of events will accompany the exhibition. See www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk for more details.
Snails for All will run from 23 May 2026 to 13 June 2027 in the Edward Bawden Gallery and entry is free.