2011 marks the Royal Academy of Arts’ first exhibition in 30 years dedicated to the study of British sculpture in the twentieth century. The show will provide a unique perspective on the development of British sculpture and illuminate how we understand it today. The exhibition forces the viewer to make new connections and break with old ideas through provocative juxtapositions.
Works: Alfred Gilbert "Queen Victoria", King Phillip "Ghengis Khan", Jacob Epstein "Adam", Barbara Hepworth "Single Form", Leon Underwood "Totem of the Artist", Henry Moore "Festival Figure", Anthony Caro "Early One Morning", Richard Long "Chalk Line", Julian Opie "W" und Damien Hirst "Let's Eat Outdoors today".
The selection of works is not confined to the British Isles, but also looks to the world. Sculptures of Native American, Indian and African traditions are thus among the works also shown. These are made possible by a number of important loans from the British Museum and the V & A, and provide contrast to the British sculptures. This mirrors the curiosity of the British artist, at a time when the Empire and London were seen as the center of the world. The visitor is invited to make comparisons between these works and to see what effect the non-Western techniques, iconography, and cultural sensitivity had on the development of British sculpture at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Figuration and abstraction illustrate the inherent tension between expressions of thought and the political function of sculpture. Comparisons such as Phillip König's "Genghis Khan" and Alfred Gilbert's "Queen Victoria" or Edwin Lutyens "Memorial" and Jacob Epstein’s "Cycle of life" reflect this. A juxtaposition of works by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore tells of the emergence of British sculpture as a brand on the international stage in the post-war era.
The exhibition shows how London's museums have represented a strong attraction for a sculptor over the last 100 years, and how the Royal Academy has won for itself a significant role in shaping modern British sculpture.
Exhibition Partners: American Express Foundation
Supported by the Henry Moore Foundation
22 January - 7 April 2011
Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD, UK
