Eduardo Paolozzi: The Jet Age Compendium
4 September to 1 November 2009
This autumn, Raven Row will combine two exhibitions: ‘Eduardo Paolozzi: The Jet Age Compendium’, curated by David Brittain and Four Corners Books, and commissioned work by Dave Hullfish Bailey and Nils Norman.
Eduardo Paolozzi (1924–2005) is perhaps best known for creating some of the earliest examples of British Pop Art, but less familiar is his work for the art and literature magazine, Ambit: work that shows a more politically engaged side to the artist than has previously been acknowledged. This exhibition presents Paolozzi’s Ambit works in the context of his other work from the late fifties to the early seventies.
Recruited to Ambit in 1967 by the magazine’s prose editor, J.G. Ballard, Paolozzi created a series of works using the magazine page as a space for collage, writing and visual essays. The artist’s works for Ambit tackle the war in Vietnam, the acceleration of technology, and the utopias of mass advertising.
As well as examples of Paolozzi’s work for Ambit, works on show will include bronzes, prints, and artists’ scrapbooks, as well as a range of space age toys from the artist’s collection.
Four Corners Books recently published a facsimile edition of Paolozzi’s Ambit works, The Jet Age Compendium: Paolozzi At Ambit.
The exhibition has been supported by The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation, Offer Waterman Gallery and Manchester Metropolitan University, MIRIAD, as well as by Martin Bax, founder-editor of Ambit (www.ambitmagazine.co.uk).
Events
Collage scrapbooks and collages
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation; Tate
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Eduardo Paolozzi
From Ten Collages from Bunk, I was a Rich Man’s Plaything, 1947
Collage mounted on card
© Tate, London 2009
Collage scrapbooks
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Collage scrapbooks
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Collage scrapbooks
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Toys and objects collected by Eduardo Paolozzi, 1950s–1970s
Victoria and Albert Museum; Collection Robin Spencer
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Mr Machine, 1950s–70s
Plastic and metal toy
Ideal Toy and Co, USA
Victoria and Albert Museum
Object collected by Eduardo Paolozzi
Collection Robin Spencer
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Toys and objects collected by Eduardo Paolozzi, 1950s–1970s
Victoria and Albert Museum; Collection Robin Spencer
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Eduardo Paolozzi
From Cloud Atomic Laboratory, C, 1971
Etching on paper
© Tate, London 2009
Eduardo Paolozzi
Large Frog (New Version), 1958
The British Council Collection
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view, ‘Eduardo Paolozzi: The Jet Age Compendium’, Raven Row, 2009
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Lots of Pictures – Lots of Fun, 1971
Poster for Studio International
Screenprint on paper
Collection Robin Spencer
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Eduardo Paolozzi
Moonstrips Empire News,1967
Screenprint on paper
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view, ‘Eduardo Paolozzi: The Jet Age Compendium’, Raven Row, 2009
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Eduardo Paolozzi
Moonstrips Empire News, 1967
Screenprints on paper
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Eduardo Paolozzi
Moonstrips Empire News: Secrets Of Internal Combustion Engine, 1967
Screenprint on paper
The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation
Exhibition view, ‘Eduardo Paolozzi: The Jet Age Compendium’, Raven Row, 2009
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Ambit 40, 1969
Eduardo Paolozzi
The Vietnam Symphony, Ambit 63, 1975
Eduardo Paolozzi
Why We Are In Vietnam, Ambit 40, 1969
Eduardo Paolozzi
Things, Ambit 41, 1969
Eduardo Paolozzi
A.G.5, 1958
Bronze
Offer Waterman & Co, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Eduardo Paolozzi
A.G.5, 1958
Bronze
Offer Waterman & Co, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith