Uproar: The First 50 Years of The London Group 1913-63

Overview

Uproar: The First 50 Years of The London Group 1913-1963 offers the first up-to-date overview and critical assessment of The London Group's turbulent early history and an equally important period in British art. Formed in 1913 from an amalgamation of the Camden Town Group and the so-called 'English Cubists' (later Vorticists), The London Group exploded onto the British art scene as a radical alternative to the Royal Academy and the art establishment. Its controversial early years reflect the upheavals associated with the introduction of British modernism and the experimental work of many of its early members (who included David Bomberg, Jacob Epstein, Roger Fry, Mark Gertler, Percy Wyndham Lewis, Paul Nash, C R W Nevinson, Walter Sickert and Edward Wadsworth).Published in the Group's centenary year, this book draws on fascinating archival material and historical press reports to explain the importance of these first 50, highly experimental years, painting a vivid picture of the various disputes between artists and the press/public, the jostling of various artists' movements or groups, and the internecine warfare that often erupted between them. As well as providing an overview of the Group's early history and subsequent development, this essential reference book showcases and illustrates 50 works by 50 artists representative of the Group's first 50 years, drawn from public and private collections throughout the UK (with captions compiled by relevant experts in the field); biographies for each artist illustrated; a full bibliography; a timeline; and a listing of all the artists who exhibited with the Group, with the year of exhibition and number of works illustrated.

Reviews

"Published to coincide with an exhibition celebrating the centenary of the London Group, Uproar charts the tumultuous first five decades of this collective of British artists . . .  Full-page illustrations accompany catalogue entries for 50 works by 50 artists from the first 50 years, in addition to a succinct biography and selected bibliography for each artist represented. A helpful time line and a list of all of the artists who exhibited with the group are also included. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers." —Choice

Author Biography

Rachel Dickson is Head of Curatorial Services at Ben Uri, The London Jewish Museum of Art. She has curated both historical and contemporary exhibitions for the museum since 2002 and has contributed to many of the museum's catalogues and a number of other academic publications. Sarah MacDougall is Eva Frankfurther Research and Curatorial Fellow for the Study of Emigre Artists: Head of Collections at Ben Uri, The London Jewish Museum of Art. Her previous publications include Mark Gertler (2002).