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Kaleidoscope: Colour and Sequence in 1960s British Art

Kaleidoscope

Bold and colourful examples of British painting and sculpture from the 1960s will form part of a new exhibition at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery. Kaleidoscope: Colour and Sequence in 1960s British Art, a touring exhibition from the Arts Council Collection, will run from 24 February until 3 June 2018.

You are invited to send a reporter, photographer or camera crew to preview Kaleidoscope at the Walker Art Gallery on Thursday 22 February at 10:30 hours. Bethan Lewis, Project Curator (Arts Council Collection at the Walker Art Gallery), will be available for interviews.

Works on show include sculptures by artists such as Eduardo Paolozzi, Anthony Caro, Kim Lim and Phillip King, alongside paintings by Bridget Riley, Tess Jaray, Joe Tilson and Mary Martin among other leading names.

Much British abstract art of the 1960s is noted for its use of vivid colours, alluring surfaces and unpredictable forms. However, these qualities are often underpinned by a strong sense of order, founded on repetition, sequence and symmetry. The exhibition explores the relationship between colour and form, rationality and irrationality, order and waywardness.

Representing more than 20 artists, Kaleidoscope brings together artworks from the Arts Council Collection and other significant collections. It examines the art of the 1960s through a fresh lens and explores the radical transformation of British painting and sculpture during this decade.

Sandra Penketh, Director of Art Galleries at National Museums Liverpool, said: “The 1960s was a hugely influential decade in Britain. Many artists expressed themselves through their clever use of pattern, shape and colour. These stylistic preferences were also reflected in other areas of popular culture at the time, including fashion and interior design.

“Kaleidoscope invites us to walk around some of the wonderful works on display, taking in sculptures from different angles and enjoying the fabulous bold colours and shapes on show. It’s a lively and vibrant exhibition, and one that visitors of all ages can enjoy.”

The exhibition includes the mind-bending surfaces of op art, the repeated imagery of pop art, the mathematical order of Constructivism, and the sequential placement of brightly-coloured abstract units in New Generation sculpture.

Many of the works in Kaleidoscope are large scale pieces. Sculpture is placed on the gallery floor, encouraging visitors to engage with them as the walk through the exhibition. Presented together, the works continue to display a freshness and vitality, some 50 years after they were made.

Kaleidoscope is an Arts Council Collection touring exhibition on display as part of the Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme at the Walker Art Gallery. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully-illustrated publication, which is available to purchase priced at £9.99.