BLACK, white and red all over may be the punchline to an old joke, but it also forms the striking basis of a charity exhibition.

Paintings by Czech artist Vladimíra Hanková are dominating the walls of the Jam Factory in Park End Street to raise cash for the John Radcliffe Hospital and Maggie’s cancer care centre at the Churchill Hospital.

The exhibition, called Read Me, displays a range of cartoon postcards and paintings from the former Oxford resident manifesting her personal life experiences.

Bright red paintings are juxtaposed along darker, gloomy pictures in which the woman painted appears gangly and almost alien-like.

The art, which uses acrylics, ink and only three colours, was given to the Jam Factory to attempt to raise money for the worthwhile causes.

Arts manager at Jam Factory Gena Johns said: “She only uses three colours in her work and it is really quite striking.”

The Read Me exhibition runs until Monday, July 6.