The Woman Who Fell In Love With An Island
Accompanying the exhibition at Walthamstow Wetlands in 2021 is a downloadable audio piece and outdoor trail celebrating the work of Moomin creator Tove Jansson. The award-winning William Morris Gallery will then stage an exhibition featuring original artworks and objects relating to Tove in Summer 2022.
This project is supported by Jansson’s family and estate.
©Per Olov Jansson
“What kind of person could live here? Someone so fuelled by their imagination, so stimulated by the sea, so richly creative that they could find solace and inspiration in what to others might seem a barren rock.” Esther Freud
Tove Jansson’s Island
A short film about the Island that inspired the Moomin Stories
The Engine House
Built in 1894, the Marine Engine House is an example of Victorian industrial architecture and is a locally-listed building. Originally constructed to house the steam engine which pumped water through the reservoirs and supplied clean water to households, it has now been refurbished sensitively to retain its industrial feel and house the Visitor Centre, Cafe, Gallery, Viewing Terrace and Educational space. The Marine Engine House has also been redeveloped with a special tower to house nesting swifts and roosting bats.
Tove’s Island
The exhibition at Walthamstow Wetlands Engine House explores Tove Jansson’s island home and the inspiration she took from nature. It features beautifully rendered and displayed facsimilies of photographs taken of Tove on Klovharun, quotes, and her own work including her nature studies and descriptions of birds.