Allen Jones: Thrill Me Prints from 1959 – 2007
Allen Jones: Thrill Me Introduction Exhilarating, provocative and boldly inventive, Allen Jones’ work has reflected and inspired British culture over the last half century. One of the most renowned and controversial British artists of the 20th century, Allen Jones has been fundamental in contributing to the rise of British Pop art. During the course of his prolific career, he has worked with painting, sculpture, printmaking and drawing to produce a large body of work that has inspired, shocked and fascinated across the board. His unique oeuvre draws on themes that include sensuality, erotic imagery, fetish and pin-up glamour. An extremely sophisticated and erudite artist, he uses colour, subject and form in innovative and intriguing ways – and continues to experiment and push boundaries. He employs colour to describe form with graphic precision yet also injected with energy and freedom of gesture. The imagery in his work is inspired by the iconography of city life, advertising, consumer culture and theatre. Energy, vitality and movement infuse his works. The exhibition Thrill Me celebrates over forty years of printmaking, which has been an integral and consistent part of his artistic practice since his early student days. It was at Hornsey College of Art (1955–59) and the Royal College of
Art (1959–60) in London that he studied lithography and gained fluency in the medium, alongside painting. The unique melting pot of contemporary students at the Royal College of Art during that time – including his peers Derek Boshier, Patrick Caulfield, David Hockney, R. B. Kitaj and Peter Phillips – turned out to dominate decades of British art. In 1961, Jones accepted a teaching post in lithography at the Royal College of Art and immersed himself in the history and technical possibilities of the medium. This foundation paved the way for printmaking to form a consistent thread throughout his career, influencing and in turn, being influenced by, his painting and sculpture. We have amassed a small group of early, rare prints made between 1959–62 during the artist’s time at Hornsey College of Art. This includes Head in the Wind (1959), the second print ever made by the artist, Fleeing People (1960), Fire Has Broken Out (1960) and Face of a Woman (1961). These wonderful experimental lithographs show how Jones was exploring and working out strategies for figuration. He also begins paying particular attention to the material identity of the print as a sheet of paper laid with ink and capitalising on the potential of the paper. During this period, there is a nod to Jean Dubuffet, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and early Abstract Expressionist artists such as Willem de Kooning. Although Jones has experimented with etching, he works mostly in lithography and screenprinting. He has also played with photographic images in prints, drawing on the interplay between graphic images and reality, such as in Thrill Me (1969) and Janet I – IV (1999). He views photography as an extension of the possibilities of his picture making and one can see photographic elements weave through his prints. Lithography
has enabled Jones to fuse the qualities of seductive, expressive and evocative lines with rich colour. On the process, he commented in 1963:
“Lithography is now so automatic to me that there is no ceremony attached to working in this medium, hence I tend to develop more original ideas this way, before they appear in my paintings as a sort of automatism.” 1 Between 1964–69, the artist travelled to America and his exposure to the work of American Pop artists inspired him further, through colour and source imagery, paving the way for the more provocative and sexually charged subject matter of his future work. Jones has never been afraid to challenge conventions. This can be seen in portfolios including A New Perspective on Floors and A Fleet of Buses (1966). For Buses, he used the paper itself as the outline of the subject matter, discarding the lower corners of the paper, so that the remainder of the lower sheet would appear as wheels of the vehicle. Similarly, the prints of A New Perspective were designed to be folded at right angles to form the join between the imaginary wall and floor, playing with the viewer’s sense of perspective. In the series Life Class (1968), Jones hints at the possibility for the viewer to handle the prints themselves and recompose the pairs of images into different combinations. He views creativity as a collaborative act involving the spectator.
Jones has responded to the possibilities that technology has offered, as it has developed over time, such as in works such as Playtime (1995). For this print, he drew on sheets of Mylar – a clear plastic sheet – allowing for the precise registration of the most delicate and detailed lines and marks, in a way that would not be possible if done on stone, as is typical of conventional lithography. However, in Man Composing Himself, printed in the same year, he returned to printing directly on stone, showing his dexterity and commitment to the techniques that he had learned in the past thirty years. Over the past four decades, Jones’ work has been exhibited around the world in solo and group exhibitions and his work is held by numerous museum collections. There have been three major retrospectives of his work: ICA, London (1978); Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (1979); and the Barbican Gallery, London (1995). In 1986 he was elected as a Senior Academician at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. More recently, Allen Jones had a solo show at the RA in 2014–15.
1. Typescript reply, dated 30 September 1963, to a questionnaire from Tim May.
Head in the Wind, Lithograph printed in colours, 1959 Signed, titled and dated in pencil. From the edition of 6. Printed and published by the artist, Hornsey College of Art, London. (Lloyd 2) 56 x 76.5 cm
Fleeing People, Lithograph printed in colours, 1960 Signed, titled and dated in pencil. From the edition of 3. Printed and published by the artist, Hornsey College of Art, London. (Lloyd 7) 30.2 x 34.8 cm
Fire Has Broken Out, Lithograph printed in black and white, 1960 Signed, titled and dated in pencil. From the edition of 5. Printed and published by the artist, Hornsey College of Art, London. (Lloyd 9) 58 x 46 cm
Face of a Woman, 1960 Signed, titled and dated in pencil. Numbered from the edition of 25. Printed and published by the artist, Croydon College of Art, London. (Lloyd 11) 76.5 x 56 cm
Concerning Marriages: Plate e, Lithograph printed in colours, 1964 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 75. Printed on BFK Rives paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Editions Alecto, London, with their blindstamp. (Lloyd 24e) 76 x 56.5 cm
Red and Green Baby, Lithograph printed in colours, 1962 Signed, dated and titled in pencil, numbered from the edition of 23. Printed and published by the artist, Croydon College of Art, London. (Lloyd 15) 58 x 70.5 cm
Concerning Marriages: Plate g, Lithograph printed in colours, 1964 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 75. Printed on BFK Rives paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Editions Alecto, London, with their blindstamp. (Lloyd 24g) 76 x 56.5 cm
Pour les Lèvres, Screenprint in colours, 1965 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 200 Printed by Knickerbocker Machine and Foundry Inc., New York Published by Original Editions, New York (Lloyd 30) 76.5 x 59cm
Janet is Wearing... Lithograph printed in black, 1965 Signed and dated in pencil, an artist’s proof aside from the edition of 200. Printed by Desjobert, Paris. Published by Original Editions, New York. (Lloyd 31) 76.5 x 59 cm
King on the Right Hand, Lithograph printed in colours, 1962 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 10. Printed and published by the artist at the Croydon College of Art, London. (Lloyd 17) 58 x 79 cm
Woman, Lithograph with photo-lithographic element and collaged paper patches, 1965 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 75. Printed by Editions Alecto, London. Published by Irwin Hollander, New York. (Lloyd 32) 70 x 56 cm
A New Perspective on Floors, Lithograph printed in colours, 1966. Signed and dated in pencil. Inscribed ‘Trial Proof ’, before the edition of 20. Printed by Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Los Angeles. Published by Editions Alecto, London. (Lloyd 36c) 76.5 x 56 cm
Polka, Screenprint in colours, 1965 Signed, dated and titled in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed by Chiron Press, New York, with their blindstamp. Published by Editions Alecto, London. (Lloyd 33) 60 x 45 cm
Daisy Daisy, Lithograph printed in black, 1965 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 20. Printed by Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Los Angeles. Published by the artist. (Lloyd 34) 48.5 x 62.5 cm
Bus Drawing, Crayon and pencil on paper, 1965 Signed and dated. 57.1 x 78.1 cm
Fleet of Buses, The complete portfolio of five lithographs printed in colours, 1966. Each signed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 20. With the original rexine-covered solander box with embossed titles. Printed on Arches paper by the Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Los Angeles. Published by Editions Alecto, London. (Lloyd 37 a-e) Each sheet 64 x 57 cm (irregular)
“I made two folios at Tamarind [Workshop], ‘Buses’ and ‘A New Perspective on Floors’. In the first, I used a familiar theme to me, tearing the bottom two corners away from the paper to form my bus shape. I felt this tearing of the hand-made paper was particularly instructive to the workers at Tamarind who have a kind of holy regard for ‘the print’. The ‘New Perspective on Floors’ was printed so that it was as necessary to fold the paper 6 inches from the bottom in order for the image to be viewed correctly. I liked the idea of folding a print. Usually people who buy folios hardly ever thumb through them – just pride of possession. With these floors, nothing works unless they actually take out the prints and fold them each time. That is some kind of commitment, when a collector has the responsibility of folding something for which he has paid money. I had hoped, of course, that it would be a pleasurable task allowing him to participate in making the completed image.” 2
2. ‘Allen Jones: Talking to Sally McLaren and Peter Daglish’, Printmakers Council Magazine, no. 2, November 1968, p. 15
Shoe Box The complete portfolio of seven lithographs printed in black and white and an aluminium sculpture, 1968. Each print signed and numbered from the edition of 200. Sculpture scratch-signed on the base. Contained in a PVC–covered shoe-box, with a colour screenprint inside the lid. Printed by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Petersburg Press, London. Sculpture cast by the Enfield Foundry, London. (Lloyd 45 a-h). Each image: 35.5 x 28 cm
Life Class, The set of 14 lithographs printed in colours, forming 7 images, plus title-page, 1968. Signed, dated and numbered in pencil, from the edition of 75. With the original cloth-covered solander box. Printed on J Green Imperial paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Ars Moderna, Basel, and Editions Alecto, London with their ink stamp verso. (Lloyd a-g) (Lloyd 48a also available as an individual print) Top: 34.5 x 56.5cm; Bottom: 47 x 56.6 cm
Young Woman Contemplating Sculpture, Lithograph printed in colours, 1969 Signed and dated in pencil. One of approximately 10 artist’s proofs (aside from the edition of 100). Printed on BFK Rives paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Galerie Der Spiegel, Cologne. (Lloyd 49) 45.5 x 56 cm
Thrill Me, Offset lithograph printed in colours with photo-lithographic element, 1969 Signed and dated in pencil, an artist’s proof (aside from the edition of 120). Countersigned by James Wedge, whose photograph is incorporated in the left-hand image. Printed by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Editions Alecto, London. (Lloyd 50) 70.8 x 103.7 cm
Album: Plate d, Lithograph with collotype printed in colours, 1971 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 75. Printed on BFK Rives paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Marlborough Graphics, London. (Lloyd 60d) 64 x 48 cm
Album: Plate c, Lithograph with collotype printed in colours, 1971 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 75. Printed on BFK Rives paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Marlborough Graphics, London. (Lloyd 60c) 64 x 48 cm
Olympische Spiele MĂźnchen, Lithograph printed in colours, 1972 Signed in pencil, numbered from the edition of 200. Printed on BFK Rives paper by E. Matthieu, Zurich. Published by Editions Olympia. (Lloyd 63) 102.5 x 64 cm
French Cooking (from Homage to Picasso), Screenprint in colours, 1973 Signed and numbered from the edition of 90. Printed on wove paper by Kelpra Studio, London. Published by Propyläen Verlag, Berlin/Pantheon Press, Rome. (Lloyd 66) 60 x 79.5 cm
Magician Suite: plate b, Lithograph printed in colours, 1976 Signed and numbered from the edition of 60. Printed by Jack Lemon, Landfall Press, Chicago. Published by Waddington Graphics, London. (Lloyd 71b) 82 x 57 cm
Magician Suite: plate c, Lithograph printed in colours, 1976 Signed and numbered from the edition of 60. Printed by Jack Lemon, Landfall Press, Chicago. Published by Waddington Graphics, London. (Lloyd 71c) 82 x 57 cm
Magician Suite: plate e, Lithograph printed in colours, 1976 Signed and numbered from the edition of 60. Printed by Jack Lemon, Landfall Press, Chicago. Published by Waddington Graphics, London. (Lloyd 71e) 82 x 57 cm
Magician Suite: plate a, Lithograph printed in colours, 1976 Signed and numbered from the edition of 60. Printed by Jack Lemon, Landfall Press, Chicago. Published by Waddington Graphics, London. (Lloyd 71a) 82 x 57 cm
Suntory, 1978 Pencil, ball-point, crayon and felt-tip drawing. Signed and dated in pencil. 76.5 x 56 cm
Cut-a-Way, Screenprint in colours, 1976 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 70. Printed by Kelpra Studio, London. Published by Kelpra Studio, London, with their stamp. (Lloyd 75) 68 x 54.5 cm
Cue, Lithograph printed in colours, 1981 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 75. Printed on J Barcham Green paper by Landfall Press, Chicago. Published by Waddington Graphics, London, with their blindstamp. (Lloyd 83) 106.7 x 71.1 cm
Out of Zeit, Screenprint in colours, 1983 Signed and numbered from the edition of 200. Printed by Advanced Graphics, London. Published by Waddington Graphics, London. (Lloyd 90) 80 x 60 cm
Playtime, Lithograph printed in colours, 1995 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed on BFK Rives paper by Angeles Press, Los Angeles. Published by Galerie Levy, Hamburg. (Lloyd 111) 76 x 56 cm
Man Composing Himself, Lithograph printed in black, 1995 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed on Grey Rives paper by Angeles Press, Los Angeles. Published by Galerie Levy, Hamburg. (Lloyd 113) 101.5 x 74 cm
What Do You Mean What Do I Mean (two parts) Offset lithographs printed in colours, 1991 Each part signed and dated in pencil. A poster for The Institute of Contemporary Arts exhibition, ‘The Obsessive Image’. Published by Motif Editions, London. Top: 67 x 40.6cm; Bottom: 76 x 40.6cm.
Dressing for Pleasure, Etching, 1998 Signed, titled and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the edition of 150). Printed by Kurt Zein, Vienna. Published by Ernst Hilger, Vienna. 53 x 37.6 cm
Janet 1, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Janet II, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Janet III, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Janet IV, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Waiting on Table, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 54 x 40 cm
Waitress I, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Waitress II, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Waitress III, Photo-etching, 1999 Signed and dated in pencil, one of five artist’s proofs (aside from the numbered edition of 30). Printed on Bütten paper by Erhard Schmidt, Münster Published by LEVY Galerie, Hamburg 53.5 x 39.5 cm
Yours, Lithograph printed in colours, 2007 From ‘Between the Sheets’. Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed by Landfall Press Inc., Los Angeles. Published by Alan Cristea Gallery, London. 82 x 65.56 cm
Slip, Lithograph printed in colours, 2007 From ‘Between the Sheets’. Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed by Landfall Press Inc., Los Angeles. Published by Alan Cristea Gallery, London. 82 x 65.56 cm
Move, Lithograph printed in colours, 2007 From ‘Between the Sheets’. Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed by Landfall Press Inc., Los Angeles. Published by Alan Cristea Gallery, London. 82 x 65.56 cm
Intro, Lithograph printed in colours, 2007 From ‘Between the Sheets’. Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 50. Printed by Landfall Press Inc., Los Angeles. Published by Alan Cristea Gallery, London. 82 x 65.56 cm
Club Night, Screenprint printed in colours, 2003 Signed and dated in pencil, numbered from the edition of 45. Printed by Advanced Graphics, London. Published by Alan Cristea Gallery, London. 104 x 84 cm
27th January – 16th March 2017 Sims Reed Gallery, 43a Duke Street St. James’s London, SW1Y 6DD
t + 44 (0)20 7930 5111 f + 44 (0)207 925 0825 gallery@simsreed.com www.gallery.simsreed.com