Tower and Town, April 2019

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Arts Review

Kenneth Armitage (1916- 2002) was a twentieth century British sculptor most famously known for his bronze sculptures. Primarily figurative, his work encompasses the human form, the language of the body and the instantaneous ways in which the body can move and change. Armitage once described the style of his work by saying, ‘I like sculpture to look as if it happened, to express an idea as simply as possible.’

The exhibition shown at The White Horse Gallery is an expansive collection of sculptures and drawings chosen from The Kenneth Armitage Foundation archives.

His work is not easy or simple, it is difficult, challenging and at times, impossible to interpret. Ripples of dark undertones, melancholic moods mixed in with childish charm and humour encompass his work and the peculiar shapes and forms he has created. His drawings are strange, unusual, and repeatedly androgynous and anthropomorphic. The dense physical sculptures are solid and tangible. It is evident how some of them have worn smooth and oxidized from years of being touched and stroked. Indeed, their cylindrical forms and chunkiness make them enticingly tempting to touch and feel.

Armitage’s work is of its time. As a twentieth century artist, he lived through tumultuous social, political and economic change. I believe the style of his work, the execution, tone, subject matter and overall feel, is a reflection of the time in which he was working. The sculptures are unconventionally beautiful. Spending time with them, you really feel as if they are moving, setting off. Who knows where they are heading.

Kenneth Armitage RA was at the White Horse Gallery from 20th February – 12th March 2019.

Gabriella Venus