Joe Lycett's Debut Solo Exhibition 'Every Thing Must Go' Opens at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Comedian Joe Lycett's debut solo exhibition, 'Every Thing Must Go', is now on view at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery until 21 February 2027. The show features over 80 paintings and sculptures, including a large woolly mammoth named Martin, created in collaboration with prop company Create 180. Lycett, known for his humorous and often neon-colored works, explores themes of environmentalism, extinction, grief, and the loss of Birmingham landmarks such as the Electric Cinema. The exhibition includes portraits of Ozzy Osbourne, Margaret Thatcher, and tributes to friends, alongside pieces inspired by the museum's taxidermy collection. Lycett emphasizes the seriousness behind his silliness, stating, 'I take the silliness very seriously.' The show also features collaborations with other artists and his mother, who painted a portrait of Eric Morecambe. Lycett, who has been making art since before lockdown, sees this exhibition as a culmination of his practice, funded partly by selling prints. He also mentions his interest in extinct animals, like the Mexican lapdog, and his upcoming collaborative show with drag artist Fatt Butcher's queer choir, The Full Fat Sound.