Daleks!
The Daleks would be in my Top 10 works of art, regardless of whether they are art or not! Created by Terry Nation and Raymond Cusick, they’re a true cultural icon of the 1960s and have continued to confirm this status ever since, officially becoming part of the English language (see the Oxford Dictionary). I am also cheating, sort of, because by citing the Daleks as one of my favourite pieces of ‘art’, then by association, I also get Doctor Who and the TARDIS into the bargain!
They’ve been around as long as I have. This is what I grew up with. To me, the Doctor was like a third parent, or another sibling. I know that the character, along with the series, has been one of the really big influences on my love of imagination, sense of wonder, general attitude and approach to life.
Of course, in the broad sense, a television series can be considered a work of art, but the Dalek is a definite ‘objet’, recognisable even to people who have never watched the TV show, and can be more easily analysed in terms of its form, meaning and cultural contexts. For these reasons, I have decided to focus on the pepper pots of ultimate evil… and because everyone loves a great villain.
The concept of the Daleks was devised by writer Terry Nation, the look of the Daleks by prop designer, Raymond Cusick. Terry Nation’s directives…
