Footsteps on the sands of time: Hannah Frank 1908-2008
I've been inspired to look back over this blog recently, which doesn't quite set it out as it happened, but does give an idea of the "unfolding" nature of this project.
My aunt Hannah Frank (Mrs Hannah Levy) died on 18th December 2008. I was so privileged to be able to be with her when she died - together with her nephew David Samuels and his wife Jemima. My mission - to make her a "household name in her lifetime" - seems to have worked. Her death was announced on BBC Radio Scotland - and on BBC Scotland Ceefax. And Glasgow University had, the day before she died, written to her offering her an Honorary Doctor of Letters in honour of her international reputation.
I think this article in the Jewish Chronicle in August last year, by Julia Weiner (who also wrote a lovely obituary this month) is about the best one I've read about the "mission":
http://www.thejc.com/articles/hannah-frank-the-artist-who-%EF%AC%81nally-won-recognition-100
and this one by Moira Jeffrey is a beautiful one about her art:
http://www.theherald.co.uk/search/display.var.2452820.0.a_career_100_years_in_the_making.php
We're currently preparing for my aunt's Stone Setting and memorial service, to be held on 25th July 2009 at 10.30 a.m. at Cathcart Cemetery, Glasgow, and afterwards at Garnethill Synagogue, where some of her albums from the 1920s and more recent cuttings books will be on show at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre.
100th birthday 23 August 2008 - more photos by Kush Budha
After a special service at Garnethill Synagogue - where the Rev Aharon Soudry mentioned Hannah in his sermon, and family and friends joined the congregation for a delicious Kiddush where they were entertained by a fabulous speech by Miriam Margolyes - a VERY small family gathering was held for Hannah at the care home where she lives. We read her the fabulous article "Artist of the Century" from that day's edition of the Scottish Daily Mail -and Archie Hunter, Deputy Lord Lieutenant, came to read her the telegram from the Queen. And see the other post for the 'eminent visitors' who also came to see her on her birthday.
Present at the gathering l-r Mai and Jonathan Frank from Boston, Lynn and Peter Rankin from Preston, Fiona Frank, David and Julie Frank from Jersey, Rob Steen (in hat) from Lewes, Sarah Frank (currently based in Paris and Dublin). Bottom row Jen Rankin (currently based in London), Anna Huxham (Lancaster) and Evie Steen from Lewes.
After a feast of chocolate, Hannah went to bed... surrounded by at least 100 cards sent to her by family, friends and fans.
100th birthday 23 August 2008 - photos by Kush Budha
Visitors to Westacres on Hannah's birthday included actress Miriam Margolyes - who'd flown in that morning from Chicago! The local MSP and MP Ken Macintosh and Jim Murphy also dropped in. Jim, who's Minister for Europe in the current Labour government, took time out of his own birthday celebrations to share some chocolate with Hannah - though he was born on 23 August 1967, shares a birthday with Hannah - though he was only born in 1967, nearly 60 years after our illustrious artist.
Bill Laughlin from 2Canvas, Stockwell St, Glasgow, with Hannah Frank in her room in the Care Home in Newton Mears with a 24"x30" canvas reproduction of 'Mocking Fairy' (1931) next to one of Hannah's original drawings, 'I sought him but I found him not' (1935). You can see one of her 'double figures' in the background, and also 'Girl at window' (1946). For more info about canvas reproductions of Hannah Frank's art - available from 1st Nov 2007 - go to the 2Canvas website on www.2canvas.co.uk . Part of the proceeds of every sale come back to us to help to 'make Hannah Frank a household name'.#
NOVEMBER IS HANNAH FRANK MONTH!
so much to say, so little time! We've been on Woman's Hour.... we have our first London exhibition.... we have an 'at home' at a gallery in the West End of Glasgow where they're having a Hannah Frank experience inthe whole complex, not just the little gallery....the sales of prints and cards has taken off... everything seems to be perfect! Auntie Hannah is in great form and I'm really looking forward to seeing her tomorrow. I have just interviewed her by phone for the Glasgow Evening Times and although this is an 'exclusive' I'll just say here the answers to one of the questions which I thought was so great and reflected Auntie Hannah so perfectly:
'what advice would you give to a young Glasgow artist setting out now'...
"Ignore the whole lot of them, just do what you want to do and what you’re happy doing, and if it so happens that people like it, all the better, but don’t set out just so that people will like it. You do what you have to do and what you like doing. I can’t make it clearer than that. If something good comes of it, all the better. If people agree with you and like it, all the better still."
I'm doing a talk tomorrow at a Glasgow University DACE (dept of adult education) course about my aunt's life and work and how it fits in to the story of Jewish Immigration to Glasgow....
I'm hoping that the increased print sales will allow us to make a proper documentary of my aunt's life while she's still alive: I'm working with a wonderful visual anthropologist and we're planning a 'road trip' to the places that she visited on holiday when she was young. I've just had contact from a woman in Saltcotes whose dad remembers the Franks coming to stay in the house next door, when he was a young boy, and Hannah sitting drawing with his older sister Jane Platts, who died young. There's so much to find out about. There are still some 'lost' drawings here and there... so watch this space! and contact me on the email address on the website (http://www.hannahfrank.org.uk) for ANYTHING about Hannah Frank!
Woman´s Hour!
The exhibition at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue started in July and has been extended as Hannah Frank and I were interviewed for BBC Woman´s Hour recently and the exhibition will run until the programme goes out! more news of dates when I have it...
onwards and upwards
the RGI exhibition was wonderful - we had more than 600 visitors, we had loads of press (the Independent, the Glasgow Herald, the local Scottish evening papers...)
We've just packed up a load of artworks now to take to London for the summer and the autumn: it opens next week at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue wonderful Etz Chayim gallery and then goes to the London Jewish Cultural Centre for the autumn. And we are currently making plans for the works to go to Boston - and for me and my daughter to follow it to Boston for a few weeks too!
I will be at the private view at Northwood on Thursday 6th: hope to see you there. Let me know if you'd like an invitation...
best wishes
Fiona (fionafrank@hannahfrank.org.uk)
