Ben Nicholson

the long version

Romantic, classical, baroque, naive, primitive, abstract, surrealist, mechanistic, modernist, English and international are adjectives which have, at various times, been applied to the art of Ben Nicholson. The variety of expression he achieved throughout a long career stemmed from a lively and daring mind, which gave rise to an art of intense human interest as well as great sensitivity and precision. In the 1930s Nicholson was a pivotal figure in the Parisian and London avant-garde, and in the 1950s he was hailed by international critics and curators as one the leading artists of his generation. Friend of Braque, Helion, Gabo, Arp, Calder, Giacometti and Mondrian, Nicholson was the primary force behind the emergence of geometric abstraction in England and its alliance with contemporary architecture. His sense of structure, his response to the environment and his treatment of light and colour all had a far-reaching impact on British art. Nicholson is one of the greatest English artists of this century. This catalogue, published to accompany the major exhibition of his work held at the Tate Gallery, sheds new light on his achievements and his life. All the works in the exhibition are described and analysed and there are ten essays on different aspects of Nicholson's art, each of which draws upon new material and brings a new understanding to his work. A detailed chronology charts the ups and downs of Nicholson's life and progress through two world wars and three marriages, while an extensive bibliography provides an invaluable tool for further research.