Sir Anthony Caro

Sir Anthony Caro
Name	Sir Anthony Caro
Caption	Caro in 2004
Birth name	Anthony Alfred Caro
Birth date	08 March 1924
Birth place	New Malden, Surrey, England
Death date	23 October 2013
Death place	London, England
Nationality	British
Education	Charterhouse School, Christ's College, Cambridge, Regent Street Polytechnic, Royal Academy Schools
Known for	Sculpture, Abstract art
Movement	Modern sculpture, Abstract expressionism
Spouse	Sheila Girling (m. 1949)
Awards	Knight Bachelor, Order of Merit

Sir Anthony Caro was a pioneering British sculptor whose radical use of industrial materials and abandonment of the traditional plinth revolutionized post-war sculpture. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant figures in the development of modern sculpture, bridging the gap between the formal innovations of American modernism and the European art tradition. His large-scale, brightly painted steel constructions redefined the relationship between the artwork, the viewer, and the surrounding space, earning him international acclaim and a lasting legacy.

Early life and education

Born in New Malden, Surrey, he attended the prestigious Charterhouse School before studying engineering at Christ's College, Cambridge. After serving in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War, he pursued art, training at the Regent Street Polytechnic and later at the Royal Academy Schools. His early development was significantly shaped by a period working as an assistant to the eminent sculptor Henry Moore in the early 1950s, an experience that provided crucial technical grounding but from which he would later decisively break away.

Career and artistic development

Caro's early work was figurative, but a transformative visit to the United States in 1959, where he met the influential critic Clement Greenberg and was exposed to the welded metal sculptures of David Smith and the color fields of Abstract Expressionist painters like Kenneth Noland, catalyzed a dramatic shift. Upon returning to his London studio, he created Early One Morning (1962), a seminal work composed of painted steel and aluminum beams that rested directly on the ground. This rejection of the pedestal and embrace of industrial fabrication and bold, unified color became hallmarks of his practice, aligning him with the New Generation of British artists promoted by the Whitechapel Gallery.

Major works and public sculptures

Among his most celebrated early works is the vibrant red steel construction Twenty Four Hours (1960). He later expanded his vocabulary with series such as the Table Pieces, which explored intimate scale and domestic context, and the Emma Dipper works, inspired by his wife. His monumental public sculptures can be found worldwide, including Promenade at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, The Last Judgement at the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt, and The Tower of Discovery created for the Montreal Expo 67. Later in his career, he engaged with classical and literary themes in series like The Trojan War and created ambitious installations such as The Chapel of Light in Bourbourg.

Exhibitions and recognition

Caro achieved early institutional recognition with a major solo exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1963. His work was featured in landmark international surveys like Documenta in Kassel and the Venice Biennale, where he represented Great Britain in 1966. A comprehensive retrospective toured from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City to the Tate Gallery in London in 1975. He was knighted in 1987 and received the prestigious Order of Merit in 2000. In 2005, he collaborated with the Architectural Association School of Architecture on the "Caro's City" project, and a final major exhibition was held at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2011.

Influence and legacy

Caro's radical approach had a profound impact on subsequent generations, effectively establishing a new language for sculpture in the 1960s. He directly influenced his contemporaries and students, including prominent artists like Phillip King, William Tucker, and Barry Flanagan. His teaching at Saint Martin's School of Art, where he led the innovative sculpture department, was instrumental in fostering the British sculpture revival. His work is held in the permanent collections of major institutions globally, such as the Tate, the Centre Pompidou, and the Museum of Modern Art, ensuring his continued relevance in the narrative of 20th-century art.

Personal life

He married painter Sheila Girling in 1949, and their lifelong artistic and personal partnership was deeply collaborative, with Girling often advising on color in his sculptures. They had two sons, one of whom is the art historian Timothy Caro. Sir Anthony Caro continued to work prolifically until his death in London following a heart attack. His studio and archive are managed by the charity The Anthony Caro Centre, which promotes engagement with his work and legacy.

Category:1924 births Category:2013 deaths Category:British sculptors Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit