Eduardo Paolozzi Screenprints 1967 – 2000 by Sims Reed

eduardo paolozzi screen prints

1967-2000

eduardo paolozzi screenprints 1967-2000

Exhibition: 21st October - 13th November 2009

sims reed gallery The Economist Building 30 Bury Street London SW1Y 6AU Tel. +44 (0) 207 930 5111 Fax +44 (0) 207 930 1555 gallery@simsreed.com www.gallery.simsreed.com

Foreword To categorise the work of Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, and to place him tidily within the ranks of the British art hierarchy is a difficult task. How can one pull together the threads of such a disparate career? Part of the complexity stems from the fact that during his lifetime Paolozzi worked in a greater variety of materials than probably any other living artist – he was active in producing all forms of sculpture, printmaking, drawing, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and even the first architectural redesign of a London tube station. Whilst much of his renown is a result of his career as a sculptor, Paolozzi, like many of his contemporaries including Hamilton, Hockney and Kitaj, consistently viewed printmaking not just as a secondary pursuit, but rather as a vital artistic process. Paolozzi’s interest in the two-dimensional was most certainly driven by his love of the collage. Since childhood he collected disparate cuttings and pages from various magazines and comics, pasting them into scrapbooks alongside advertising slogans, and sections from aeronautical manuals. The plethora of visual material he collected was vast. With the variety of assembled images from newspapers and magazines, he attempted to capture the schizophrenic quality of life, where the individual is confronted everyday with a barrage of imagery from mass-media communication. Paolozzi’s innovative use of the collage technique translated well onto screenprint, which readily retained the collage-like effect within a larger-scale graphic work. It was screenprinting which Paolozzi used to produce many of his most memorable Pop Art prints of the 1960s. In his boxed set of prints, Moonstrips Empire News of 1967, Paolozzi’s primary concern appears to be the collage of both written and visual imagery. Fragments of ready-made text, including works by James Joyce & William Burroughs are screenprinted and placed in the box alongside totally unrelated Pop images. This theme of the free association of imagery is continued in the sequel box of prints entitled General Dynamic F.U.N. published in 1970. Here, literary references are abandoned in place of collaged pictorial subjects drawn from film, magazines and commercial packaging. The source of much of Paolozzi’s collage material was America, and it was in 1970, after a visit to California in 1968, that he produced the brashest, most colourful and most extreme set of colour screenprints, the Zero Energy Experimental Pile or Z.E.E.P. images were garnered from Scientific American, Fortune, Playboy, Aviation Technical Magazine, National Geographic, brochure handouts, and plastic kit covers. Many of the themes in the Z.E.E.P. prints were reworked by Paolozzi in two other later screenprints, B.A.S.H. (1971) and

Philadelphia Print (1971). The definitive statement of Paolozzi’s printed collage work was to come with the publication of the BUNK series of prints in 1972. These screenprints are direct facsimiles of original collages constructed from material Paolozzi collected between 1947-52. The 1972 series, produced in an edition of 100, are boxed sets of lithographs and screenprints, torn by hand and pasted onto backing sheets in replication of the original collages. BUNK was to be a landmark publication , after which there was a dramatic shift in the inconographical emphasis in Paolozzi’s screenprints. After 1973, gone is the dependence on collage and the use of mass culture imagery. Instead, he was to strive towards a graphic notation of sound. In the Perpetuum Mobile screenprint of 1975, the imagery is now almost pure linear abstraction. The pattern of lines was to suggest the flow of music, as well as resembling diagrams of sound waves. It is of no real surprise that it was the composer Charles Ives (1874-1954) who most influenced Paolozzi during this period. Ives was renowned for his mingling of numerous musical sources within his work, and this ‘collaging’ of material obviously attracted Paolozzi. Between 1974 and 1976 Paolozzi executed a major series of nine screenprints, Calcium Light Night, all of which take their titles from Ives songs. Again, both stylistically and visually, they are aural diagrams, designed to indicate the physical form of sound. Paolozzi was to experiment with many other printmaking techniques later in his career including numerous woodcuts and engravings but he was to return to screenprinting one final time with the production of The Turing Suite in 2000. This suite of eight images, inspired by the work of the brilliant mathematician and wartime code-breaker Alan Turing is a triumph of printmaking. Abstraction is not now linear, but crowded with sections of brightly-coloured wannabe micro-chip computer panels and ever-repeating blocks of transistors and other-world gadgetry. Imagery on this scale could best be expressed through the use of screenprinting and Paolozzi was clearly a master of the technique. It was always the screenprint which allowed Paolozzi to express the fertility of his imagination, and it was a medium ideally suited for such a creative force. -Tim Byers, Sims Reed

Finch, Christopher (introduction)

Moonstrips Empire News Volume I. Editions Alecto, 1967, London Loose as issued in publisher's pink acrylic resin box Complete with 100 screenprints and text by Paolozzi printed on a variety of paper stocks Published loose in an edition of 500 Each print is numbered and stamped with printer's and publisher's marks Eight of the prints are signed and numbered in pencil by Paolozzi (Miles 37) Each sheet 38 x 25.5 cm

Multi-Channel Prototype Screenprint in colours, 1969-70 Signed and in pencil and numbered from the edition of 120 (each sheet in individual colourway) Printed by Petersburg Press, London (Miles 52) 84 x 60 cm

Zero Energy Experiment Pile (Z.E.E.P.) The complete portfolio of six screenprint and lithographic prints, printed in colours, 1969-1970 Each signed in black ink and numbered from the edition of 100 (there were also 15 Artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Proofs) Contained in the original silver portfolio with printed cover Printed on Astralaux and Plexiglass by Advanced Graphics, London Published by Petersburg Press, London (Miles 57- 62) Each sheet 84 x 60 cm (pages 10 - 17)

Z.E.E.P: Will the Future Rulers of the Earth Come From the Ranks of the Insects 12

Z.E.E.P: Standard Pacific Time 13

Z.E.E.P: Hollywood Wax Museum 14

Z.E.E.P: Human Fate and World Powers 15

Z.E.E.P: Agile Coin Gross Decision Logic 16

Z.E.E.P: 6228: Plus: Cry on My Sholder, No Sad Songs, etc. 17

General Dynamic F.U.N. Volume II of Moonstrips Empire News. Editions Alecto, 1970, London 50 plates by Paolozzi, 6 being signed in pencil by the artist Edition limited to 350 copies divided into 5 editions of 70 examples each The title page and 6 of the plates are signed and numbered by Paolozzi in pencil All of the images are stamped on the reverse with the title, number, printer's and publisher's chops and a stylised facsimile of the artist's signature Loose as issued in publisher's acrylic resin box (Miles 54) Each sheet 38 x 25.5 cm

B.A.S.H. Series of five screenprints in colours, 1971 From the edition of 3000, printed in five colour varriations Printed on Hollingsworth mould made paper 225g paper by Advanced Graphics, London Published by Galerie Dorothea Leonhart, Munich (Miles 99) Each sheet 85 x 70 cm (see pages 34- 39)

B.A.S.H. (blue) 21

B.A.S.H. (yellow) 22

B.A.S.H. (green) 23

B.A.S.H. (pink) 24

B.A.S.H. (grey) 25

Philadelphia Print Screenprint in colours, 1971 Signed in pencil and numbered from an edition of 100 Printed on Saunders mould made paper by Advanced Graphics, London Published by Museum of Modern Art, Philadelphiain connection to the exhibition - â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Silkscreen: History of the Mediumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 1971-72 (Miles 149) 77.5 x 55.6 cm

BUNK Boxed set of 47 screenprints, each individually laid to papers and board in the style of a collage, 1972 Published in an edition of 100 by Snail Chemicals, London (Miles 101-147) Sizes from 19 x 15 cm to 41 x 29 cm

Aranjuex Screenprint in colours, 1974 Signed in pencil and inscribed AP. A proof aside from the edition of 300 Printed on Arches paper by Kelpra Studios, London Published by Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover (Miles 170) 103 x 68.5 cm 30

Ciao Picasso Screenprint in colours, 1974 A proof aside from the edition of 30 Printed by Grafikwerkstatt, Hans Kahler, Hamburg Published by Propylaen Verlag, Berlin (Miles 187) 100 x 70 cm 31

Catalogue for Harmony Screenprint in colours, 1974 Printed at the atelier Boer und Kahler, Hamburg Published by the Hamburg Kunstverein (Miles 172) 90 x 65 cm 32

Perpetuum Mobile Screenprint in colours, 1975 Printed on Kupferdruck-Butten 300g paper by Atelier Boer und Kahler, Hamburg Published by Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (Miles 186) 90 x 70 cm 33

Selasa Screenprint in colours, 1975 Printed in an unlimited edition (aprox. 3500) Printed on British cartridge 200 gsm paper by Leslie Hosgood and Robert Jones at Megara Screenprinting Published by PSA supplies, Department of the Environment, by Editions Alecto (AE 897) 86.5 x 68 cm 34

Appel-Calder Screenprint in colours, 1975 Printed onKupferdruck-Butten 300 g paper by Grafikwerkstatt Hans Kahler, Hamburg Published by Griffelkunst Vereinigung, Hamburg (Miles 188) 100 x 70 cm

Appel-Calder Screenprint in colours, 1975 Signed in pencil. Unique colour variant Printed onKupferdruck-Butten 300 g paper by Grafikwerkstatt Hans Kahler, Hamburg Published by Griffelkunst Vereinigung, Hamburg (Miles 188) 100 x 70 cm 36

Calcium Light Night The complete portfolio of nine screenprints in colours, 1975-76 Each signed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 200 (there were also 25 Artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Proofs) Printed on J. Green mould-made paper by Advanced Graphics, London Published by Propylaen Verlag, Berlin (Miles 177-185) Each sheet 99 x 69 cm (pages 34- 43)

Calcium Light Night: The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hour 39

Calcium Light Night: Largo to Presto 40

Calcium Light Night: Central Park in the Dark 41

Calcium Light Night: Allegro Moderato Firemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paradise 42

Calcium Light Night: Aeschylus and Socrates 43

Calcium Light Night: From Early Italian Poets 44

Calcium Light Night: Four German Songs 45

Calcium Light Night: Calcium Night Light 46

Calcium Light Night: Nettleton 47

The Turing Suite The complete portfolio of eight screenprints in colours, 2000 Each signed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 50 Printed on Somerset paper (pages 44-51) Each sheet 76 x 56 cm (except Turing 1 & 2)

Turing 1& 2 76 x 112 cm 48

Turing 3

Turing 4 50

Turing 5 51

Turing 6 52

Turing 7 53

Turing 8 54

Turing 9 55

Biography 1924 Born Leith, Scotland 1943 Edinburgh College of Art 1944-47 Slade School of Art, London 1947-50 Worked in Paris 1947-50 Taught textile design at Central School of Art, London 1950-54 Worked on several architectural projects including fountain for the Festival of Britain, 1951; fountain for Hamburg Park, 1953, murals and reliefs. 1952 Bunk, slide projection, Independent Group, ICA London 1953 British Critics Prize 1955-58 Taught sculpture at St. Martin's School of Art, London 1960-62 Visiting professor on sculpture and basic design at Staatliche Hochschule f端r Bildende K端nste, Hamburg 1960 David E Bright Foundation award for best sculptor under 45, given at 30th Venice Biennale 1961 Watson F Blair prize by jury of 64th Annual American Exhibition in Chicago 1967 Purchase prize at International Sculpture Exhibition at Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, New York First prize for Sculpture at Carnegie International Exhibition for Contemporary Painting and Sculpture, Pittsburgh 1968 Visiting professor at University of California, Berkeley Lecturer in Ceramics at Royal College of Art, London 1974 Berlin, guest of the DAAD K端nstlerprogramm 1977Professor in Ceramics at Fachhochschule, Cologne

Solo Exhibitions 1947 Drawings and Sculptures, Mayor Gallery 1948 Recent Drawings, Mayor Gallery 1949 Drawings and Bas Reliefs, Mayor Gallery 1958 Sculpture, Hanover Gallery, London 1960 Betty Parsons Gallery, New York 30th Venice Biennale; retrospective in British Pavilion, then touring to Belgrade, Paris, Bochum, Brussels, Oslo, Denmark, Amsterdam, Baden-Baden and T端bingen 1962 Betty Parsons Gallery, New York 1963 Waddington Galleries, London 1964 Recent Sculpture and Collage, Robert Fraser Gallery, London Museum of Modern Art, New York 1965 Hatton Gallery, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Sculptures, Collages, Graphics, Chelsea School of Art, London As is When, Editions Alecto, London 1966 Recent Sculpture, Pace Gallery, New York Robert Fraser Gallery, London Scottish National Gallery of Art, Edinburgh 1967 Hanover Gallery, London Rijksmuseum Kroller-Muller, Otterlo, Holland Universal Electronic Vacuum, Alecto Gallery, London Pace Gallery, New York 1968 Worth Ryder Gallery, University of California, Berkeley Galerie Neuendorf, Hamburg Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam St辰dtische Kunsthalle, D端sseldorf 1969 W端rttembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart Galerie Mikro, West Berlin Goeteborgs Konstmuseum 1970 Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Canada 1971Tate Gallery, London (Retrospective) 57

1972 The Conditional Probability Machine, St Katharine's Gallery 1973 Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and touring 1974 Galerie Wentzel, Hamburg Kestner-Gesellschaft, Hanover 1975 Nationalgalerie, West Berlin (retrospective) Kunstverein, Karlsruhe Ausstellung Kunsthalle, Bremen Arts Council of Great Britain, touring exhibition 1976 Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (Scottish Arts Council) Marlborough Fine Art, London 1977 Galerie Renate Fassbender, München Victoria and Albert Musuem, London (print retrospective) Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London 1978 Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel 1979 The Development of an Idea, Glasgow League of Artists, Glasgow, Scotland and touring to Crawford Centre, University of St Andrews, Scotland; Talbot Rice Arts Centre, University of Edinburgh Works in Progress, Kölnischer Kunstverein, Köln 1984 Eduardo Paolozzi: Private Vision - Public Art, The Architectural Organisation, Lonodn 1986 Eduardo Paolozzi Underground, Royal Academy of Arts, London 1988 Paolozzi Portraits, National Portrait Gallery 1996 Artificial Horizons and Eccentric Ladders, The British Council 2000 Artificial Horizons and Eccentric Ladders, Flowers East, London 2004 Bunk! Flowers Central, London Works on Paper and Collage, Flowers, New York Paolozzi at 80, Dean Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh 2005 Projects:1975-2000, Flowers East, London Heads, Flowers Central, London Sculptures from the 1960's, Flowers Central, London

Selected Public Collections Art Gallery of Ontario Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery Bolton Museums and Art Gallery Hunterian Art Gallery Peggy Giggenheim Collection Royal College of Art Roche Court - New Art Centre Sculpture Park and Gallery Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Scottish Arts Council Sotheby's Institute of Art Steinberg Collection Tate Gallery The Aldrich Collection The Arts Council England The British Library The London Transport Art Collection The Royal Academy of Arts University at Albany-State University of New York University of Birmingham University of Dundee Whitworth Art Gallery Worcester Art Gallery

Sims Reed Gallery exclusively represent the graphic work held in trust by the Paolozzi Foundation. All the works in this exhibition are from the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s estate.

sims reed gallery The Economist Building 30 Bury Street London SW1Y 6AU Tel. +44 (0) 207 930 5111 Fax +44 (0) 207 930 1555 gallery@simsreed.com www.gallery.simsreed.com