Victor Pasmore, a highly influential 20th century abstract artist.
Known primarily as an abstract pioneer in post-World War II Britain, Victor Pasmore constantly reworked his daring, experimental style, shifting between figurative and abstract art, and never failing to try new things.
Born in Surrey in December 1908, Pasmore was initially best-known for lyrical landscape and figurative paintings, often trying to copy the style of artists he admired such as Turner and Cézanne. His shift into abstract art in the late 1940s dismayed some of his admirers, but it was hailed as “the most revolutionary event in post-war British art” by the art historian, Sir Herbert Read.
This willingness to push convention and try new styles is one of the reasons Victor Pasmore’s work is still sought-after today, particularly in the United Kingdom. The majority of his prints sell for £500 to £5,000, and demand for the prints he made in Malta during the last decades of his life is especially high.
In comparison with many other artists, Pasmore’s life was relatively conventional and devoid of scandal. Despite this, his impact on the art world cannot be underestimated, and there are still many interesting facets to him, as you will find out below.
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He Was A Conscientious Objector In World War II
Victor Pasmore’s status as a conscientious objector, however, was refused recognition by the Local Tribunal, and in 1942, he was called up for military service. When he refused orders, he was court-martialled and sentenced to 123 days imprisonment. Luckily for him, Sir Kenneth Clark (his patron) and William Coldstream (a fellow artist with whom he set up the Euston Road School) intervened and managed to get him released. Finally, he was granted exemption from military service.
His Most Expensive Print Sold For £8,800
Images On The Wall is a series of etchings in colour from 1992. It is typical of Pasmore’s late style, using earthy hues and soft blue and green tones that are reminiscent of the sun-drenched Mediterranean island where he spent his final decades. The fluid geometric shapes in the sequence are full of life and movement, with the symbol of the eye reappearing more than once, perhaps illustrating what Pasmore meant when he said: “While reason sleeps, the symbol awakes.”
Though Pasmore had experimented before, his exploration of printmaking began in earnest only after his move to Malta, and it then remained an integral part of his work until his death. He collaborated with a number of well-known printmakers during this time, and these prints remain some of the most sought-after in today’s art market.
Images On The Wall Sold by Rosebery’s in 2019
He Was A Self-Educated Artist
Victor Pasmore experienced a slow start in the art world. He was educated at Harrow and displayed considerable artistic talent, but when his father died suddenly in 1927, he was forced to support himself by getting an administrative job with the London County Council. He worked there as a clerk for over ten years, attended evening classes at the Central School of Art, and spent his spare time painting and visiting exhibitions to familiarise himself with different artists. It was, however, another decade or so before he began to experiment with the abstract style for which he is remembered today.
He Was Vice President Of The J.M.W. Turner Society
Victor Pasmore was always extremely interested in the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of art, an interest which is reflected by the numerous prestigious academic posts he held throughout his life. But he also held other positions of note, including as a Trustee of the Tate Gallery and the Vice-President of the Turner Society.
Many of Pasmore’s early works are heavily influenced by the Romantic painter, and he remained a lifelong Turner admirer. He even gave a lecture to the society claiming that the painter was the ‘first of the moderns,’ and he was elected as its Vice-President in 1975.
He Designed The Apollo Pavilion
The Apollo Pavilion is a concrete sculptural bridge situated in the new town of Peterlee, Durham. Pasmore began designing it in 1963, and it was completed six years later. The structure was intended to be a focal point of the surrounding Sunny Blunts housing estate, which Pasmore was also involved in designing.
The Apollo Pavilion has divided opinions ever since it was erected. It was frequently the target of vandalism, graffiti, and antisocial behaviour, though it has since been repaired and granted Grade II Listed status. The legacy of its geometric forms continues to be evident in Pasmore’s prints and paintings, for instance in The Pulse, created several decades later.
The Apollo Pavillion, Durham
