An audience with the godfather of the Pop Art movement…

Sir Peter Blake at Cambridge Contemporary Art...

Contemporary artist Sir Peter Blake is often called ‘The Godfather of the British Pop Art movement’ along side artist David Hockney, Patrick Caulfield and Richard Hamilton. His colourful and very graphic works use the imagery for popular culture. He is best known for creating the Beatles album cover for Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967 creating art that reflected the age but its not his own favourite work.

Sir Peter was born in 1932 in Dartford and studied at Gravesend School of Art and the Royal College of Art and received a knighthood in 2002 as honorary doctor of the Royal College of Art for his services to the visual arts.

Living and working in Chiswick Blake still creates new artwork and exhibits at several prestigious galleries in his eighties having worked consistently as an artist since the 1950’s. He is now using computer systems to create new works. His work is featured in collections at the Tate Gallery London, The National museums of Wales at Cardiff and The Pallant House gallery Chichester.

According to CCA, Sir Peter Blake’s work reflects his fascination with all streams of popular culture, and the beauty to be found in everyday objects and surroundings. Many of his works feature found printed materials such as photographs, comic strips or advertising texts, combined with bold geometric patterns and the use of primary colours. The works perfectly capture the effervescent and optimistic ethos of the sixties, but are also strikingly fresh and contemporary. There is also a strain of sentimentality and nostalgia running throughout his work, with particular focus towards childhood innocence and reminiscence, as can be seen clearly in his recent Alphabet series. Blake is renowned for his connection with the music industry, having produced iconic album covers for the Beatles, Paul Weller, The Who, and Oasis.

I was fortunate enough to meet him on a visit to Cambridge Contemporary Art in Cambridge as he exhibited new work …

Listen to the Podcast Arts Round Up Episode 1

https://artrepublic.com/collections/peter-blake