British Sculpture: Post-War 9th January – 15th February 2013 Eduardo Paolozzi, Bronze Man, c. 1950, bronze, stone base, 16 x 5 1/8 x 3 3/8 in, 40.5 x 13 x 8.5 cm Connaught Brown will exhibit an exceptional group of sculptures, drawings and paintings from artists Robert Adams, Kenneth Armitage, Reg Butler, Lynn Chadwick, Geoffrey Clarke, Bernard Meadows, Henry Moore, Eduardo Paolozzi and William Turnbull. Following the disasters of the Second World War, the 1950s saw the development of a new aesthetic in British sculpture. Combining a wry sense of humour with an emphasis on the materiality of sculpture, each artist sought in their own way to explore the implications of post-war society. With the exception of Henry Moore, each of these artists exhibited at the 1952 Venice Biennale show ‘New Aspects of British Sculpture’ in the British Pavilion. Heralded internationally as a breakthrough in British art, the group was dubbed the ‘Geometry of Fear’ school following a quote found in Herbert Read’s exhibition catalogue. Focusing on their shared use of exaggeration and abstraction, Read’s quote emphasises the perceived sense of paranoia during this period as a result of the dawning of the Nuclear age and the Cold War. Included in this show will be sculptures and drawings by Kenneth Armitage, whose Two Standing Women (1955), exemplifies many of these ‘New Aspects’ of British sculpture. Influenced by his experience of military machinery and its industrial production during the War, Armitage exploits the use of bronze for its brutal visual appeal, exaggerating the human forms to the point of abstraction, to create an image that speaks simultaneously of a pre-historic past and an uncertain human future. Similarly Paolozzi’s post-apocalyptic Bronze Man (1950) is a humorous depiction of man defeated by machine. The exhibition will also feature classic examples of sculpture by the remaining members of this group, alongside three paintings from the 1950s by William Turnbull. Self Portrait (1955) is a dramatic example of his work from the period, introducing the recurring form of the head as an object that would play an important part in both his painting and sculpture. Also on display will be several drawings and sculptures by Henry Moore, including his Maquette for ‘Draped Reclining Figure’ (1952), exemplifying his influence on this younger group of sculptors. For more information and images please contact Ruth Millington at [email protected] .