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See & Do

Geoffrey Clarke

The archive of Geoffrey Clarke (1924-2014) is a treasure trove of 32 boxes of material including photographs, details of commissions, sketches, press coverage and catalogues.

Black and white photo of a man in an art studio, looking at a large, cross shaped sculpture made from polystyrene.

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Photo of a man and a boy wearing heat resistant clothing, with a tall sculpture made of metal behind them.

Black and white photo of an older woman with large glasses looking to her right, where there is an abstract sculpture of a horse and rider made from what looks like metal and stone. Behind her are more sculptures and paintings.

Black and white photo of a set of stairs, behind which is a large, abstract sculptural mural covering the entire wall.

Black and white photo of a man stood next to a large piece of public sculpture outdoors. The sculpture is maybe 20 to 25 feet tall but quite thin, and shaped like a wave.

Black and white photo of three abstract sculptures by Geoffrey Clarke, photographed outdoors in a park. They look somewhat like ploughs or other agricultural equipment.

Black and white photo of a landscape in winter, the ground covered in snow. In the centre is an abstract sculpture, with thin sheets of what could be plaster or stone pierced by and hanging off a stout beam.

About the artist

Geoffrey Clarke R.A. (1924-2014) was born and raised in Darnley Dale, Derbyshire. Son of an amateur etcher, Clarke took a liking to art practices and attended Preston and Manchester Art Schools before serving in the RAF during WW2. Following this, he enrolled at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 1948.

During his time at the RCA he studied design for stained glass and created an award-winning window panel. His ability was recognised by RCA Principle Robin Darwin, and by 1952, Clarke was on his way to creating a decade-long series of commissions for Coventry Cathedral. The largest and most well-known of these works was his Flying Cross.

1952 was also a significant year for British artists at the Venice Biennale. Clarke was part of the British Pavillion at the exhibition. Art critic Herbert Read coined the term ‘Geometry of Fear’ to describe the work exhibited by this group of artists, which also included, among others, Kenneth Armitage, Reg Butler, Lynn Chadwick and Bernard Meadows.

Clarke worked by creating models in polystyrene that he would then cast in aluminium. He is said to have enjoyed the fact that the polystyrene would simply evaporate in the process. Clarke created many public art commissions using this process, taking him all over the world.

In addition to exhibiting widely, Clarke also taught during his career. He returned to the Royal College of Art from 1968-73 to be the head of the department for light transmission and projection.

Clarke was married to fellow sculptor Ethelwynne Tyrer, known as Bill. Their son Jonathan Clarke followed in their footsteps and is an active sculptor.

What’s in the collection?

The archive of Geoffrey Clarke is a large one, consisting of 32 boxes. It includes correspondence, exhibition catalogues, press cuttings, books, financial papers, photographs, sketchbooks, albums, sketches, film, negatives and artist’s statements.