Mr Doodle’s ‘Museum Mayhem’ Exhibition: A Playful Twist at the Holburne Museum

World-renowned British artist Mr Doodle, famous for his extensive collection of doodles all interwoven and coined ‘Graffiti Spaghetti’, is holding his first-ever museum exhibition at the Holburne Museum in Bath. The exhibition, ‘Mr Doodle’s Museum Mayhem,’ is on display until 1st September, and it features Mr Doodle’s signature style, covering the museum’s walls, floors, and ceilings in thousands of doodles, creating a unique and playful atmosphere.

The Holbourne Museum welcomed the “Mr Doodle Museum Mayhem” exhibition with a special event the evening before. The event featured a world-first doodle mural animation, adding to the exhibition’s excitement. Read more here.

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As you approach the Horburne Museum, perched at the summit of Great Pulteney Street, you cannot help but notice that even the sleek Tesla parked in front of the building has not been spared from Mr Doodle’s playful artwork. The benches flanking the entrance also bear his signature doodles, adding fun and excitement to what’s to come.

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As you enter the museum entrance, you’ll be greeted by tall walls and ceilings covered in an intricate display of black-and-white doodles. The doodles are densely packed with symbols, small characters, aliens, robots, and fun scenes, creating a sense of busyness and chaos. The sheer detail and the intricate nature of the doodles can only be fully appreciated upon closer inspection, making it a remarkable and unique entrance to the museum.

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As you explore the exhibition, you’ll notice that some of the museum’s traditional portraits and sculptures have been replaced with Mr Doodle’s versions, providing a fun and imaginative take on the conventional museum experience.

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Additionally, on the first floor, several Mr Doodle sculptures, including some of the ceramics, such as “Gurgoogle,” are scattered throughout the exhibition, making for an exciting and interactive experience.

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Mr Doodle’s intricate and colourful doodles are not only visually fun but also incorporate the museum’s most important pieces, sitting amongst heavyweights like Gainsborough and Guardi, adding playfulness to the museum’s collection.

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Mr Doodle’s artworks are a modern-day response to the Museum’s paintings and interact with them. This infusion of playfulness and creativity into the museum’s collection makes the experience educational and entertaining. Mr Doodle has replaced the permanent collections with his own, such as Thomas Barker of Bath self-portrait c.1794, which has been replaced with Mr Doodle of Doodle Land self-portrait 2024.

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Mr Doodle replaced John Constable Flatjord lock from the bridge, c.1814-17, with Doodle House from the gates 2024.

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Mr Doodle replaced Henry Robert Morland’s (c.1716-1797) “A Lady’s Maid Soaping Linen” with “Anti-Doodle Squad doing their Laundry 2024.” The anti-doodle squad from Doodleland is trying to wash doodled linen to remove the doodles.

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In a different piece, Mr Doodle replaced Samuel de Wilde (1748-1832), John Bannister and Richard Suett in ‘Sylvester Daggerwood’ by George Colman the Younger c.1798 with Keith Haring and Mr Doodle’s joint artwork, “Two Doodlers in Spraymeister Taggerworld 2024.”

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Thomas Barker’s “A Blind Beggar” was replaced by Mr Doodle’s “The Inclined Doodler.”

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Lord Mas of Scribble City can be seen replacing Frans Pourbus II, Archduke Albert of Austria, c.1600.

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The exhibition’s second floor offers visitors an opportunity to explore the creativity of a mastermind and immerse themselves in a universe of doodles that spans decades of Lord Doodle of Doodle Land’s work!

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A fascinating 15-minute interview on the screen provides a glimpse into Mr. Doodle’s mind and his unique creative process. The screening also shows a younger Mr Doodle, dressed in his characteristic doodle attire during his university days, where his tutor affectionately referred to him as “Mr Doodle.” What began as typical childhood scribbles on everything from school books to furniture have since transformed into a successful career and a whole new universe appropriately named DoodleLand.

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On this intricately doodled second floor, Mr Doodle’s numerous sketchbooks are showcased on two large display plinths. Don’t worry; there’s a lift to take you up here, and it’s an experience in itself, with doodles adorning the interior glass walls.

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One of Mr Doodle’s most impressive installations is a room entirely covered in black-and-white doodles. The space houses his historic notepads, doodled briefcase, and doodled hat, creating an immersive experience that transports visitors into his creative mind. Additionally, the short film inside the room showcases Mr Doodle turning the pages of his sketchbooks, revealing an endless stream of awesome doodles. The mesmerising repetition of flipping through the pages and seeing the intricate details of his artwork is addictive to watch.

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One of the exhibition’s opening day highlights was the live doodling session, during which Mr Doodle created an addictive doodle session on the museum’s cafe windows, much to the delight of the fans and mini-fans in the crowd who cheered for him. Mr Doodle became in a relaxed doodle trance state of mind, and his nonstop doodleing session was fuelled by his “OCD—Obsessive Compulsive Drawing.” 

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Mr Doodle’s exceptional creativity and precision in creating these doodles on such a grand scale were impressive. There was no room for error, and the way he executed it was simply impressive. Witnessing such a hyper-doodling experience was truly inspiring. Hats off to Mr Doodle for his talent and dedication.

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The café area was bustling with energy, and children had plenty of opportunities to create their own doodles. Mr Doodle also made himself another mission to engage with visitors, signing autographs and taking photos with fans, making the experience truly interactive, fun and engaging.

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Mr Doodle’s creative works have extended beyond his initial canvas and have made their way into the wider city of Bath. His doodles can now be found on various surfaces, such as telephone boxes, banners, and murals, further spreading his unique art style across the city.

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Mr Doodle’s “Museum Mayhem” exhibition is a must-visit for anyone seeking a fun and unique museum experience. The exhibition offers a refreshing and playful twist on traditional museum exhibits, making it a hit with visitors of all ages.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your squad, furry companions, and whoever else you think can handle the mayhem and head to the Horbourne Museum for a day of Doodle Mayhem!

Mr Doodle “Museum Mayhem” May 3rd- September 1st 2024, at the Holburne Museum.

If you’re a fan of Mr Doodle and want to know more about this super doodler, check out our list of 10 interesting facts about him here.

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