Kenneth Armitage 1916 - 2002

Born in Leeds in 1916, Armitage studied at Leeds College of Art 1933-37 and Slade School of Art 1937-39. He served in the army between 1939-46 and in 1947 was appointed head of sculpture at Bath Academy of Art which he held until 1956. Armitage represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1958 where he was awarded the 'David Bright Foundation Award for the Best Sculptor under 45'. He was awarded the CBE in 1969 and died in 2002.

works in the collection - 1

PAC/073

The undifferentiated figures with their stick limbs are typical of Armitage's anti-heroic humanistic sculptures of the 1950s and 60s. He came to critical attention at the Venice Biennale in 1952 alongside Reg Butler, Lynn Chadwick, Eduardo Paolozzi and William Turnbull.

Maquette for the Krefeld War Memorial, 1956