The cat's meow: A Felix-focused exhibition by Mark Leckey

The beloved monochrome moggie is the inspiration behind new works from the British artist, on display at Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery

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Felix the Cat is an unexpected pioneer of television. As interest in the medium grew in the United States in the 1920s, the first experimental transmissions took place to broadcast an image of a decent quality. A paper mache model of the popular character made the perfect test subject – it was the right colour (black and white) and wouldn't suffer under the heat of the studio lights.

Felix has also proved a key inspiration for Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Leckey, whose fascination with the feline began with a performance lecture he gave on the subject at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, entitled Mark Leckey in the Long Tail. Its origins as the first broadcast image resonated with the artist, who is best known for his explorations in sound, video and performance.

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