Colin Self British, b. 1945
Cinema Study No.41 (Cinema Curtain) THERE'S OUR CUE FOR ACTION, ROBIN!, 1969
Collage, ink and watercolour
17.5 x 22.8 cm
Signed, dated, titled and inscribed on the reverse ''Colin Self'', ''COLIN SELF. CINEMA STUDY 1969 No. 41 (CINEMA CURTAIN) SEPTEMBER 6TH 1969'' and ''136"
Colin Self's highly personal and distinctive style of drawing led fellow British artist Richard Hamilton to call him 'the best draughtsman in England since William Blake.' Born in Norwich, Self...
Colin Self's highly personal and distinctive style of drawing led fellow British artist Richard Hamilton to call him "the best draughtsman in England since William Blake." Born in Norwich, Self attended the Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1961 to 1963 where he befriended David Hockney and Peter Blake, who began to collect his work.
By 1964 he was showing at the cutting edge Robert Fraser Gallery and by 1968 Self was producing technically groundbreaking prints. As a printmaker, Self has been a great innovator and was a central figure in the 1960's boom in printmaking. Drawing images from a variety of commercial sources, he created the 'Power and Beauty' series of screenprints (1968) at Editions Alecto. His engagement with Cold War politics and the nuclear threat gave his work a sinister mood and political edge that was distinct from mainstream Pop Art.
During 1969, Self made a series of 'Cinema Studies'. Some 'Studies' only show a curtain drawn with watercolour and inks. In this particular work and others from the series, Self incorporated used bubble gum wrappers and other found media upon which he drew images from popular comic books of the time, such as Batman.
By 1964 he was showing at the cutting edge Robert Fraser Gallery and by 1968 Self was producing technically groundbreaking prints. As a printmaker, Self has been a great innovator and was a central figure in the 1960's boom in printmaking. Drawing images from a variety of commercial sources, he created the 'Power and Beauty' series of screenprints (1968) at Editions Alecto. His engagement with Cold War politics and the nuclear threat gave his work a sinister mood and political edge that was distinct from mainstream Pop Art.
During 1969, Self made a series of 'Cinema Studies'. Some 'Studies' only show a curtain drawn with watercolour and inks. In this particular work and others from the series, Self incorporated used bubble gum wrappers and other found media upon which he drew images from popular comic books of the time, such as Batman.
Provenance
Acquired directly from the Artist; Marco Livingstone, London;
Private Collection, London
Exhibitions
2016, Pop Art Heroes: Pop, Pin-Ups & Politics, Whitford Fine Art, London
Literature
Pop Art Heroes Britain, exhibition catalogue, Whitford Fine Art, London, 2016, cat. no. 31, ill.