Frank Humphrey Sinkler Jennings (19 August 1907 – 24 September 1950) was an English documentary filmmaker, artist, writer, set designer, painter and one of the founders of the Mass Observation organisation. He has been affectionately described as British cinema’s war poet in recognition of his many acclaimed portrayals of life in Britain during WWII for the GPO film unit. As an accomplished artist, Jennings also exhibited work in the International Surrealist Exhibition in London in 1936.

Between 1937 and 1950, Jennings compiled a collection of contemporary observations on the progress and impact of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom, which he called Pandæmonium, 1660–1886: The Coming of the Machine as Seen by Contemporary Observers. Jennings’ anthology was published posthumously in 1985 and is widely recognized as a monumental achievement.

Observations offers an evocative glimpse into Jennings’ artistic practice, presenting a curated selection of his rarely seen paintings and sketches. This exhibition reveals the breadth of Jennings’ talent beyond his acclaimed documentary filmmaking and explores his ability to capture fleeting moments of everyday life with poignancy and poetic insight.

Farleys Gallery is showcasing a selection of Jennings’ images in varied media as a celebratory look at his prolific output.