Whitechapel Art Gallery is currently displaying five decades of work by Eduardo Paolozzi, one of the most inventive British artists of the 20th century.
The exhibition, presented in conjunction with Arts Council England, brings together over 250 works by the artist. Famous for his concrete structures it is likely that Londoners will recognise the late artist’s work from outside of the gallery space. Paolozzi’s sculptures can be found in East London at the Royal Victoria Dock, as well as at Kew Gardens and swept across the walls of Tottenham Court Road Underground station.
According to Whitechapel Gallery, two of his early works, Fisherman and Gulls (1946) and Bull’s Head on Red Ground (1946), are shown in the current exhibition for the first time in forty years. These structures are representative of his ability to connect objects with ideas.
Another highlight of the exhibition includes original collages from the Bunk! lecture that was given at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in 1952. It was from this lecture that Paolozzi established his connection to Pop Art.
Although born in Scotland to Italian immigrant parents, much of Paolozzi’s early career was spent in London. Some of his initial concrete sculptures were displayed at his first solo exhibition at the Mayor Gallery, London in 1947.
The exhibition is open to the public until May 14 from Tuesday to Sunday 11am-6pm (9pm on Thursday) at the Whitechapel Gallery, Whitechapel High Street.