Phillip King, pioneering British sculptor, dies at 87
British sculptor Phillip King, who significantly changed the art form from the 1960s, has passed away. A former student of Anthony Caro and assistant to Henry Moore, King showcased his work at the 1966 Primary Structures exhibition in New York and the 1964 New Generation exhibition in London. Critic Clement Greenberg remarked on the vibrancy of London's sculpture scene after viewing King's pieces. Initially influenced by Michelangelo, Rodin, and Picasso, he discarded his early creations in 1960 upon discovering Abstract Expressionism, shifting his focus to industrial materials. His notable works include Genghis Khan (1963), Call (1967), and Green Streamer (1970). In 1990, he became professor emeritus at the Royal College of Art and was president of the Royal Academy from 1999 to 2004, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
Key facts
- Phillip King died in 2021 at age 87.
- He was a student and close associate of Anthony Caro.
- King worked as an assistant to Henry Moore.
- He showed at Primary Structures (1966) at the Jewish Museum, New York.
- He was in the New Generation exhibition (1964) at Whitechapel Gallery, London.
- Clement Greenberg praised London sculpture in 1964.
- King destroyed his early work in 1960 after seeing Abstract Expressionism.
- He used industrial materials like fibreglass and steel.
- Genghis Khan (1963) is a black fibreglass conical form.
- Call (1967) was his first steel work, painted orange and green.
- Green Streamer (1970) uses green-painted stainless steel plates.
- He experimented with ceramics after a 1990s trip to Japan.
- King was professor emeritus at Royal College of Art from 1990.
- He was president of the Royal Academy of Art (1999–2004).
- He received the International Sculpture Center's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
- A retrospective of his work was held at Tate Britain in 2014.
Entities
Artists
- Phillip King
- Anthony Caro
- Henry Moore
- Michelangelo
- Rodin
- Picasso
- Clement Greenberg
Institutions
- Jewish Museum
- Whitechapel Gallery
- Royal College of Art
- Royal Academy of Art
- International Sculpture Center
- Tate Britain
Locations
- New York
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Japan