The Great Race

The Great Race is a book by Christopher Corr, first published in 2018 by Frances Lincoln. It tells the story of the Chinese Zodiac – Long ago in very ancient China, there were no years or days or hours… To find a way of measuring time, the Jade Emperor held a Great Race. Which twelve animals were the first to cross the river and have a year named after them? – It seemed like a good idea to celebrate Chinese New Year with an exhibition of the paintings from the book, and to invite Christopher to draw the zodiac animals directly onto our window.

The artist at work.

Chinese Zodiac animals in the window at Rowley Gallery on Kensington Church Street

Dragon shadow and dragon painting in the window of Rowley Gallery

Happy Chinese New Year

Long ago, in very ancient China, there were no years, or days, or hours.

Emperor, Dragon, Cat & Rat

The Emperor

Title Page

End Papers

The Chinese Zodiac

Shaking Tiger

Pig & Mud

Happy New Year of the Pig!

The Great Race is Over / Emperor & Dragon

A Magnificent Dragon

Emperor & Tiger

Emperor & Ox

Ox & Rat

Dog & Lotus Flowers

Monkey, Rooster, Goat on Raft

Rat & River

Fishes & Dragonflies

The Great Race by Christopher Corr

We also have a few copies of The Great Race available for sale in the gallery.

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And then yesterday, Saturday 2nd February, strange and wonderful creatures began to appear in the street outside our window, as if conjured by the magical attraction of our zodiac animals. There were dancing beer cans and walking strawberries and flocks of two-legged sheep, Gandalf wizards, All Blacks, penguins, giraffes and kiwis, and countless unidentifiable creatures. And pink polka-dot onesies. It was the annual Waitangi Day pub crawl around the Circle Line to Parliament Square, stopping off to share a kindred moment with fellow Chinese New Year folks at The Rowley Gallery.

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Christopher Corr / The Rowley Gallery