Sir Anthony Caro, one of Britain’s top sculptors and a pioneer of modernist art died of a heart attack on Thursday (October 24th 2013).
Caro is widely regarded as the greatest British sculptor of his generation and played a major role in the development of 20th Century sculpture.
He worked as an assistant to Henry Moore in the 1950s and first came to public attention with a show at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1963 in which he exhibited large abstract sculptures which stood directly on the ground (rather than on the tradition sculptural plinths) and were brightly painted, encouraging direct interaction with the viewer.
Above: Artist Sir Anthony Caro in conversation with Julius Bryant,
Keeper of Word & Image, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
From the BBC in Pictures: Anthony Caro
more information on their website
Picture 1 : Sculptor Sir Antony Caro, who has died at the age of 89, first came to public attention with his large abstract sculptures in the 1960s. Widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest sculptors, his work has continued to be displayed and enjoyed around the world.
Picture 2 : The sculptor’s Month Of May (1963) – made from steel and aluminium – was on display as part of The New Situation: Art in London in the Sixties exhibition at Sotheby’s auction rooms in September.
Picture 3 : An exhibition of monumental sculptures by Sir Anthony opened at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire in 2012. The show featured steel works arranged around the Canal Pond, facing the Duke of Devonshire’s historic home.
Picture 4 : A room was given over to Sir Anthony’s steel structure Shadows when it featured in the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in June.
Picture 5 : His sculpture Millbank Steps 2004 has been displayed at Tate Britain. Made from 100 tonnes of steel, it is 5 metres tall and 25 metres across.
Picture 6 : The design team behind London’s Millennium Bridge comprised of Tony Fitzpatrick, Lord Foster and sculptor Sir Anthony. The bridge wobbled when it opened in June 2000 because of what engineers called “synchronised footfall” and had to be shut down to be fixed and reopened in February 2002.
Picture 7 : A sculpture titled Blazon by Sir Anthony was one of of five of his large-scale sculptures installed on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Roof Garden in 2011.
Picture 8 : The sculptor designed the gold Olympic UK Kilo coin for the Royal Mint, which was unveiled at the Royal Academy in 2011.
