Published on the occasion of the exhibition at Pallant House Gallery from 26 June to 24 October 2021. Includes bibliographical references and index
Summary:
Throughout his career, Ben Nicholson (1894 - 1982) transformed everyday homewares into extraordinary experiments in abstract art. Nicholson's studio was filled with objects that inspired him. From patterned mocha-ware jugs and cut glass goblets to spanners, hammers and chisels, these ordinary personal possessions were a source of almost endless inspiration to the artist. This exhibition brings together for the first time Nicholson's paintings, reliefs, prints and drawings alongside his rarely seen personal possessions and studio tools. It traces how the artist's style developed, from his early traditional tabletop still lifes to his later abstract works. Still life was at the heart of Nicholson's artistic practice. Through these humble items, he began to experiment with form and colour. His early works in particular owed inspiration to his father, the painter William Nicholson. The exhibition will also trace the artistic and personal influences on Nicholson's evolutionary still life style from the 1920s to the 1970s. It will explore his time with Winifred Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth, as well as his encounters with other Modernist greats, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.