Curated by Mark Godfrey, Vicente Todolí, and Paul Schimmel
Two years after Richard Hamilton’s death in September 2011, this exhibition at Tate Modern (and another at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, Feb. 12–Apr. 6) promises again to situate the Pop pioneer’s work at the center of British art. Encompassing more than five decades of painting, installation, photography, and design, the Tate’s survey will range from Hamilton’s early efforts with the Independent Group (including a re-creation of his seminal 1956 installation Fun House) to the paintings of his final year, exploring his multifarious engagements with art, media, and politics along the way. Across the Thames, the ICA restages two other early projects: Man, Machine and Motion, 1955 and an Exhibit, 1957. This dual effort will constitute the most comprehensive view to date of Hamilton’s diverse oeuvre, enabling fresh lessons from one of Pop’s (and indeed, modern art’s) most incisive and generous practitioners. Travels to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, June 24–Oct. 14.
