Phillip King (artist)

Phillip King P.R.A. (born 1934) is one of Britain's most innovative sculptors. He is one of Anthony Caro's best known students, even though the two artists are near contemporaries. Their education followed similar trajectories and they both worked as assistants to Henry Moore. Following the "New Generation" show at the Whitechapel Gallery, both Caro and King were included in the seminal 1966 exhibit, "Primary Structures" at the Jewish Museum in New York representing the British influence on the "New Art".

In 1990 King was made Professor Emeritus of the Royal College and was the President of the Royal Academy of Art from 1999 to 2004, presumably declining the usual knighthood. In 1992 William Feaver wrote in London's "Observer" that King is "the one sculptor of his generation prepared to jettison what he has proved himself good at in order to explore what cannot be programmed."

King proved Feaver correct by turning unexpectedly to Japan and ceramics in 1993 and two years later making the powerful unglazed, vessel-themed works which were the focus of an exhibition in 2004. Richard Cork wrote about the sculptures: "Often pierced from one side to the other and interrupted by renegade protuberances, they end up conveying more emotional conflict than initially seems possible. But they possess optimism as well… That is why he is such a rewarding artist, and why each distinct phase in his ceaselessly resourceful career adds to the richness of his achievement." The exhibition was presented in Yorkshire, London, and New York.

External links

* [http://www.sculpture.org.uk/artists/PhillipKing Phillip King] at sculpture.org.uk
** [http://www.sculpture.org.uk/portfolio/PhillipKing Portfolio]