Tate Liverpool
6 February – 3 March 2001
This display brings together early works by Tucker from the Tate Collection with contemporary works from private collections, illustrating the range of his practice and concerns as a sculptor. Tucker came to prominence in the 1960s as one of the New Generation sculptors whose early work helped to revolutionize British sculptural practice. Since his move to the USA in 1978 however, his prolific work has remained relatively unknown to British audiences. This display presents an opportunity to revisit some early works and explore new pieces that have helped to establish his status as an internationally acclaimed artist.
Tucker’s early work marked a radical break from the legacy of Henry Moore, who had dominated British sculpture in the 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1950s, Tucker began to construct forms from industrial materials such as metal, timber and fibreglass which were bolted or welded together and swathed in layers of brightly coloured paint. During the last twenty years however, Tucker has preferred to use more traditional methods of modelling in plaster and casting in bronze. Accompanying this change in practice was a move to a more figurative style, and experimentation with scale and mass. Although Tucker’s practice has changed radically, his commitment to the investigation of the nature of sculpture remains fervent.
William Tucker was born in Cairo in 1935 and came to Britain in 1937. He studied History at Oxford before studying sculpture at the Central School of Art and Design and St.Martin’s School of Art in London. He represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1972. In the 1970s he wrote extensively as an art critic and published The Language of Sculpture 1974. Tucker’s work is shown widely in the USA and in Europe and is represented in many private collections.
To coincide with this display, an exhibition of William Tucker’s work will be held at Yorkshire Sculpture Park from 3 March to 20 May. This exhibition will show a selection of work made since Tucker’s move to the USA, including very recent works. An indoor display of sculpture and works on paper will be complemented by a group of large bronzes sited in the landscape.
William Tucker is on display at Tate Liverpool from 3 March to 25 November 2001. Entry is free. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00am to 5:50pm, closed Monday (except Bank Holiday Mondays). For recorded information, please telephone 0151 702 7402 or visit our website at www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/.