In memoriam: Joe Tilson (1928 – 2023)

British artist, Joe Tilson, a stalwart of the British Pop movement, has died aged 95, his family have announced. 

Tilson brought a joyful riot of colour to the contemporary art scene in the 1960s, after early experiments with slyly witty work inspired by American culture. After studying at St. Martin’s School of Art and the Royal College of Art, Tilson drew on his training as a carpenter and a joiner as he began creating his early works rooted in realist traditions.

It was in the 1960s when Tilson found his feet, drawn by the British Pop Art movement into creating bold and vibrant works that embraced a jumble of textiles and materials. His prints were notable for their vast size, making an eclectic foil for his pieces crafted from natural materials. 

Tilman was acclaimed throughout his career; in 1991, he was elected a Royal Academician and went on to work with the Royal Academy on a retrospective in 2002. His work has been exhibited around the globe, including retrospectives at London’s Alan Cristea Gallery and Marlborough Fine Art which marked both his 90th birthday and 70 years of making art. They joined exhibitions throughout his career at Boymans van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol and the Palazzo Doria, Italy, in a comprehensive celebration of his work. In 2019, he collaborated with Swatch, creating a watch and an art piece, The Flags, that was shown by the brand at that year’s Venice Biennale.