Synopses & Reviews
Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003) was one of the leading British sculptors of the postwar generation, alongside Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. Although his work is represented in many major museum collections worldwide, no concise introduction to his work has been published. Following the artist's death in April 2003 this is a fitting tribute to a brilliant career. Throughout his career, Chadwick's work drew upon the natural world. His sculpture were largely based on the human figure or animal forms. Though he would insist on the primacy of formal and technical concerns, in both animals and humans he seems to express the fundamental conditions of life. While the animals explore states of aggression and vulnerability and the ambiguity between the two, the later figures examine details of human movement, interaction and sexuality. Chadwick's work seems archetypal, an aspect amplified by his later use of standard forms for male and female heads. This book will undertake a detailed critical explanation of Chadwick's career. Dennis Farr has incorporated many of the artist's own comments about his work, made during interviews and discussions at Lypiatt Park, Chadwick's home in Gloucestershire. The text is complemented by superb photographs spanning fifty years of Chadwick's working life. This is a fitting tribute to one of the foremost figures in modern sculpture.
Synopsis
This is the first comprehensive survey of the career of Lynn Chadwick (19142003), one of the greatest sculptors of the British postwar generation, ranked alongside Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. This book is a fitting tribute to Chadwick's brilliant career, which spanned half a century.
Chadwick's work drew upon the natural world, and his sculptures were largely based on the human figure or animal forms. Though he insisted on the primacy of formal and technical concerns, his animals explore states of aggression and vulnerability, while the later, archetypal figures examine aspects of human movement, interaction, and sexuality. Offering a detailed critical explanation of Chadwick's career, the book also incorporates excerpts from interviews and discussions with the artist at his home in Gloucestershire shortly before his death.
About the Author
Dennis Farr was director of the Courtauld Institute of Galleries, University of London, from 1980 to 1993.