One of the most frequently publicly commissioned British artists of his day, his works include stained glass windows in Coventry Cathedral, aluminium panels in the Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks in London, two large sculptures for a bank in Minnesota and stained glass panels for Majlis in Abu Dhabi.
Originally from Derbyshire, Clarke studied at the Royal College of Art. After RAF service, he became, at 27, the youngest artist to show at the historic British Pavilion in the 1952 Venice Biennale (alongside artists such as Lynn Chadwick and Kenneth Armitage). He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1976 and produced much of his later commission work from a foundry in the barn of his Suffolk home.
In its retrospective from November 22-December 22, King’s Cross sculpture gallery Pangolin London celebrates Clarke’s works across the spectrum of material he used – from aluminium casts (such as Pilgrim, 1994) and scented sculpture (Passage of Moments, 1974) to mixed media (Cupid’s Action Pack, 1973, comprised of a bow, arrows, tinctures and flowers in a canvas case). Some have never been on display previously.
The exhibition also includes drawings, prints, maquettes and jewellery. Prices range from £500-100,000. The show coincides with the publication of the Clarke catalogue raisonné by Dr Judith LeGrove. Published with the artist’s estate and Pangolin in conjunction with Lund Humphries, the catalogue includes more than 900 sculptures and other works – now all gathered into one place.
