Lawrence Alloway
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | '''Lawrence Alloway''' ([[London]], 1926 - [[New York City|New York]], January 2, 1990) was an [[England|English]] art critic and curator who worked in the [[United States]] from the 1960s. In the 1950s he was a leading member of the [[Independent Group]] in the UK and in the 1960s was an influential writer and curator in the US. He first used the term "mass popular art" in the mid 1950's and used the term [[Pop Art]] in the 1960s to indicate that art has a basis in the [[popular culture]] of its day and takes from it a faith in the power of images. | ||
| - | The [[Independent Group]] (IG), founded in London in [[1952]], is regarded as the precursor to the pop art movement. They were a gathering of young painters, sculptors, architects, writers and critics who were challenging prevailing modernist approaches to culture as well as traditional views of Fine Art. The group discussions centered around popular culture implications from such elements as mass advertising, movies, product design, comic strips, science fiction and technology. At the first Independent Group meeting in 1952, co-founding member, artist and sculptor [[Eduardo Paolozzi]] presented a lecture using a series of collages titled ''Bunk!'' that he had assembled during his time Paris between 1947-1949. This material consisted of 'found objects' such as, advertising, comic book characters, magazine covers and various mass produced graphics that mostly represented American popular culture. One of the images in that presentation was Paolozzi's 1947 [[collage]], ''I was a Rich Man's Plaything'', which includes the first use of the word “pop″, appearing in a cloud of smoke emerging from a revolver. Following Paolozzi's seminal presentation in 1952, the IG focused primarily on the imagery of American popular culture, particularly mass advertising. | + | == Work == |
| + | === Early career and the Independent Group === | ||
| + | Alloway started writing art reviews for "Art News and Reviews" in 1943. In his 1954 book ''Nine Abstract Artists'' he promoted the [[Constructivism (art)|Constructivist]] artists that emerged in Britain after the Second World War: [[Robert Adams (artist)|Robert Adams]], [[Terry Frost]], [[Adrian Heath (painter)|Adrian Heath]], [[Anthony Hill (artist)|Anthony Hill]], [[Roger Hilton]], [[Kenneth Martin]], [[Mary Martin (artist)|Mary Martin]], [[Victor Pasmore]] and [[William Scott (artist)|William Scott]]. | ||
| - | Subsequent coinage of the complete term “pop art” was made by [[John McHale (artist)|John McHale]] for the ensuing movement in 1954. “pop art” as a moniker was then used in discussons by IG members in the Second Session of the IG in 1955, and the specific term “pop art” first appeared in published print in an article by IG members [[Alison and Peter Smithson]] in Arc, 1956 . However, the term is often credited to [[United Kingdom|British]] [[art critic]]/[[curator]], [[Lawrence Alloway]] in a 1958 essay titled ''[[The Arts and the Mass Media]]'', although the term he uses is "popular mass culture" Nevertheless, Alloway was one of the leading critics to defend the inclusion of the imagery found in mass culture in fine art. | + | Alloway's theory of art reflecting the concrete materials of modern life gave way to an interest in mass-media and consumerism. Alloway was a member of the [[Independent Group]] and lectured on his theory of a circular link between popular cultural ''low art'' and ''high art''. From 1955 to 1960 he was Assistant Director of the [[Institute of Contemporary Arts]] in London, organising two landmark exhibitions of American Art. In 1956 Alloway contributed to organising the exhibition ''[[This Is Tomorrow]]'' and reviewing that show, and other works he had seen on a trip to the U.S., in a 1958 article, first used the term "mass popular art". |
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| + | === Career in the U.S.=== | ||
| + | In 1961 Alloway moved to New York with his wife, realist painter [[Sylvia Sleigh]]. He was appointed senior curator at the [[Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum]] from 1961 until 1966. In 1963 he organized the pop art show, ''Six Painters and the Object''. He chaired the jury awarding the 1964 [[Guggenheim International Award]]s, one of which was refused by the painter [[Asger Jorn]]. | ||
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| + | In 1966 he curated the influential ''Systemic Painting'' exhibition that showcased [[Geometric abstraction]] in the American art world via [[Minimal art]], [[Shaped canvas]], and [[Hard-edge painting]]. Alloway was an ardent supporter of [[Abstract expressionism]] and of American Pop artists such as [[Roy Lichtenstein]], [[Claes Oldenburg]], and [[Andy Warhol]]. In 1967/68 he joined the Art department faculty as a lecturer at [[Southern Illinois University Carbondale]], where McHale and [[Buckminster Fuller]] were also on staff at the SIU Design Department. In the 1970s he wrote for ''[[The Nation]]'' and ''[[Artforum]]'' and lectured at the [[State University of New York]]. | ||
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| + | In the same year of 1966 Lawrence Alloway coined the term ''[[systems art|Systemic Art]]'', to "describe a type of abstract art characterized by the use of very simple standardized forms, usually geometric in character, either in a single concentrated image or repeated in a system arranged according to a clearly visible principle of organization". | ||
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| + | ===In his own words=== | ||
| + | Concerning the origins of the term [[Pop Art]] in his own words Alloway said: "The term, originated in England by me, as a description of mass communications, especially, but not exclusively, visual ones." In a footnote to his essay ''[[Pop Art]] the words'', he goes on to say: "The first published appearance of the terms that I know is: Lawrence Alloway, "The Arts and the Mass Media," ''Architectural Design,'' February, 1958, London. Ideas on [[Pop Art]] were discussed by [[Reyner Banham]], Theo Crosby, [[Frank Cordell]], [[Toni del Renzio]], [[Richard Hamilton (artist)|Richard Hamilton]], Nigel Henderson, [[John McHale (artist)|John McHale]], [[Eduardo Paolozzi]], [[Alison and Peter Smithson]], sculptor William Turnbull, and myself." | ||
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| + | However there are contradictory recollections as to the origin of the term: according to [[John McHale (artist)|John McHale]]'s son his father first coined the term in 1954 in conversation with [[Frank Cordell]], and the term was then used in [[Independent Group]] discussions by mid 1955. Alloway used the term 'mass popular art' in his oft quoted 1958 article but he did not use the specific term "Pop Art". | ||
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Revision as of 12:08, 3 April 2010
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Lawrence Alloway (London, 1926 - New York, January 2, 1990) was an English art critic and curator who worked in the United States from the 1960s. In the 1950s he was a leading member of the Independent Group in the UK and in the 1960s was an influential writer and curator in the US. He first used the term "mass popular art" in the mid 1950's and used the term Pop Art in the 1960s to indicate that art has a basis in the popular culture of its day and takes from it a faith in the power of images.
Contents |
Work
Early career and the Independent Group
Alloway started writing art reviews for "Art News and Reviews" in 1943. In his 1954 book Nine Abstract Artists he promoted the Constructivist artists that emerged in Britain after the Second World War: Robert Adams, Terry Frost, Adrian Heath, Anthony Hill, Roger Hilton, Kenneth Martin, Mary Martin, Victor Pasmore and William Scott.
Alloway's theory of art reflecting the concrete materials of modern life gave way to an interest in mass-media and consumerism. Alloway was a member of the Independent Group and lectured on his theory of a circular link between popular cultural low art and high art. From 1955 to 1960 he was Assistant Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, organising two landmark exhibitions of American Art. In 1956 Alloway contributed to organising the exhibition This Is Tomorrow and reviewing that show, and other works he had seen on a trip to the U.S., in a 1958 article, first used the term "mass popular art".
Career in the U.S.
In 1961 Alloway moved to New York with his wife, realist painter Sylvia Sleigh. He was appointed senior curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum from 1961 until 1966. In 1963 he organized the pop art show, Six Painters and the Object. He chaired the jury awarding the 1964 Guggenheim International Awards, one of which was refused by the painter Asger Jorn.
In 1966 he curated the influential Systemic Painting exhibition that showcased Geometric abstraction in the American art world via Minimal art, Shaped canvas, and Hard-edge painting. Alloway was an ardent supporter of Abstract expressionism and of American Pop artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, and Andy Warhol. In 1967/68 he joined the Art department faculty as a lecturer at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where McHale and Buckminster Fuller were also on staff at the SIU Design Department. In the 1970s he wrote for The Nation and Artforum and lectured at the State University of New York.
In the same year of 1966 Lawrence Alloway coined the term Systemic Art, to "describe a type of abstract art characterized by the use of very simple standardized forms, usually geometric in character, either in a single concentrated image or repeated in a system arranged according to a clearly visible principle of organization".
In his own words
Concerning the origins of the term Pop Art in his own words Alloway said: "The term, originated in England by me, as a description of mass communications, especially, but not exclusively, visual ones." In a footnote to his essay Pop Art the words, he goes on to say: "The first published appearance of the terms that I know is: Lawrence Alloway, "The Arts and the Mass Media," Architectural Design, February, 1958, London. Ideas on Pop Art were discussed by Reyner Banham, Theo Crosby, Frank Cordell, Toni del Renzio, Richard Hamilton, Nigel Henderson, John McHale, Eduardo Paolozzi, Alison and Peter Smithson, sculptor William Turnbull, and myself."
However there are contradictory recollections as to the origin of the term: according to John McHale's son his father first coined the term in 1954 in conversation with Frank Cordell, and the term was then used in Independent Group discussions by mid 1955. Alloway used the term 'mass popular art' in his oft quoted 1958 article but he did not use the specific term "Pop Art".
