HENRI, ADRIAN (British, 1932-1999)

After studying at Kings College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1951-55 under the prominent Richard Hamilton, Henri took a teaching post at Manchester and the Liverpool Colleges of Art 1961-1968.
Also in the same year he began painting “The Entry of Christ into Liverpool” - his most important painting, which was completed in early 1964. Among poets, painters, musicians and others in Henri’s Pantheon, stand the Beatles - all the figures were done neither from life nor photographs, but were instead mental images Henri had of people. It is an interesting social document, apart from its merits as a painting, and it is significant that by 1963 the Beatles had earned their place in the assembly.
Known as painter, poet, performer and occasional playwright and songwriter, he led the poetry/rock group “Liverpool scene”, 1967-70.
He was included in nine John Moores Liverpool exhibitions, winning second prize in 1972.
In 1997 Adrian Henri, Brian Patten and Roger McGough (whom Henri met in 1961) performed a poetry reading at the Queen Elizabeth Hall to celebrate the Penguin’s 30^th Anniversary.
Adrian Henri adapted his art to changing times, which in addition to painting encompasses poetry, performance art, writing and art criticism - always retained an open-ended response to culture in its broadest guises. He wilfully challenged the position of the London art scene as an arbiter of British taste by remaining a steadfastly Liverpool-based artist.

Public collections include: Arts Council of Great Britain, London
British Museum, London
National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, Liverpool
The Peter Moores Foundation, Liverpool
Paul Sacher Foundation, Basel
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool


LITERATURE:
Jonathan CAPE. Autobiography. 1971.
F. MILNER. Adrian Henri, Paintings 1953-1998. National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside, Liverpool, 2000.