Eduardo Paolozzi was a Scottish-Italian artist and sculptor, pioneering pop art in the 1960s with a nuanced focus on the engagement and significance of machinery in art. The ‘Paolozzi at 100’ exhibition at the Modern Two celebrates a century since Paolozzi’s birth, showcasing some of his most poignant pieces of work, as well as a replica of his London studio.
Entering the gallery, there are three distinct sections highlighting Paolozzi. Turning right as you enter will lead you to his earlier work, and a walkthrough of his journey from being interned at age sixteen, to attending some of the most prestigious art schools in the UK.
A notable piece you will find here is Collage (1953). In the winter of 1946, Paolozzi began incorporating collages, collating strips of magazines, newspapers, comics and cigarette cards into his main body of work. Paolozzi’s arrangement of these collages was precise, motivated and thought provoking. This is apparent in Collage and the abstract nature of it leaves much for interpretation. The cubist influences on Paolozzi are apparent, Collage echoes hints of Picasso’s composition and some more surrealist imagery, which could have been influenced by his friend Alberto Giacometti.
The essence of this piece is to consider the way we consume media. It is haphazard yet consistent. If we were to step back from the sustained consumption, we would be met with little understanding, but rather pieces of knowledge and information stuck together erratically with a familiar warmth.
A highlight in this room is Automobile Head (1958) which depicts an abstract head made from various mechanical components. Paolozzi understood the growing role of technology in our daily lives and saw how it would mould art, especially in the avant-garde. The piece paradoxically utilises new printing technology to foretell the impact of machinery on art, yet is nuanced in its message. It is an acceptance of the inevitable, but still understands the negative impacts at play. The significant developments in Artificial Intelligence which have been detrimental to artists whose work is replaced by empty digital renderings, is a clear contemporary materialisation of what Paolozzi saw to come.
The nuance in Paolozzi’s work I think is down to its simplicity, and the childlike enthusiasm ever present in his work. Paolozzi as a child regularly collected odd strips of magazines, newspapers, and sweet wrappers, much of which can be seen all throughout his work.
Continuing in this room you will see a replication of Paolozzi’s Chelsea studio. A highlight of the exhibit, it gives an insight of the great depth of mastery Paolozzi had with so many different outlets. From the rows upon rows of sculptures of heads, to an array of equipment, mountains of books and obscure trinkets. You can see his work in its most primitive material. A pile of dismantled circuit boards gives us insight into his fascination with the overlap between art and technology.
The opposite wing of the exhibition highlights his printing work. Hammer Prints Limited was founded in 1954 by Paolozzi, with Nigel and Judith Henderson. They found success in making variations of screen prints, this led to the company producing beautiful tapestries, crockery, and even public art.
In 1986, Paolozzi completed his 950 sq m glass mosaics masterpiece, which would adorn Tottenham Court Road tube station, until its quite unfortunate renovations. It was something I remember being entranced by. The pronounced and vivid colour, the bold extravagant tiles, the beauty of an ‘urban jungle,’ it stood behind the crowds of Londoners, as a reflection of themselves.
Paolozzi became anxious about his legacy nearing the end of his career, which prompted him more towards the public sector. He worked on more murals, public driven art, and donated copious amounts of his work to galleries close to his heart, such as the Modern Art Gallery in Edinburgh.
Image via Mahdeen Shafee