皇家华人

Dame Phyllida, described as an 鈥渆xtraordinary force鈥� in both British sculpture and arts education, passed away on 12th March 2023 at the age of 78.

Best known for her large-scale sculptures and installations, made from everyday materials such as cardboard and polystyrene,听Phyllida is often considered 鈥渙ne of the art world鈥檚 most celebrated late starters鈥� having found fame at the age of 65.听听

Prior to international prominence, Phyllida taught art for four decades 鈥� including 23听years as a professor at the Slade School of Fine Art at 皇家华人. Here, she mentored several prolific artists, including Rachel Whiteread, Tacita Dean, Monster Chetwynd, Bill Woodrow and Eva Rothschild.

Professor Stella Bruzzi, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Arts & Humanities, said: "Dame Phyllida Barlow studied at Slade School of Fine Art and taught there for over 20听years. A sculptor of great international influence and cherished citizen of Arts and Humanities at 皇家华人, her students included Rachel Whiteread and Tacita Dean. Phyllida's legacy is immense and her role in shaping the Slade will continue to be honoured for decades to come."

Professor John Aiken, who was Slade Professor between 2000-2012, said: "Phyllida was an inspirational teacher and an exceptional artist. It was a privilege for me to have worked closely with her over many years at the Slade and like so many others benefit from her generosity of spirit and her thoughtful, enthusiastic approach to life."

Remembering听Phyllida, members of undergraduate sculpture team met in 鈥榮tudio 10鈥� - the heart of the Slade sculpture area. In a joint statement they听said: 鈥淲ithout a doubt we have lost a legend. Phyllida鈥檚 ability to speak about sculpture, materials and making in such a thought-provoking and inspiring way: she had an uncanny ability to disentangle thoughts, feelings, ideas and ambitions for students and their work from across all areas of the Slade.

鈥淭here are generations of students who owe so much to Phyllida鈥檚 extraordinary insights and generosity long after they graduated. Her colleagues learnt so much from teaching alongside her; her intellect was always evident, but her sense of humour was never far away. We are all greatly feeling her loss today, and we simply cannot believe it. Our thoughts are with her family, who were Phyllida鈥檚 world."

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Early years

Phyllida was born in 1944 in Newcastle and her family moved to Richmond, London, following the war. She was the great great-granddaughter of the naturalist Charles Darwin.

In the early 1960s she attended the Chelsea College of Arts and studied painting, before switching to sculpture. Phyllida then transferred to the Slade School of Art (1963-1966), where she began experimenting with materials such as plaster, resin and wood.

Phyllida鈥檚 childhood experiences of the bomb damage and rebuilding of the city were life-long sources of inspiration for her artistic work.

Discussing her early influences Phyllida said: 鈥淚 have lots of references about damage, and reparation and regeneration. A kind of cycle of decay and regeneration. That fascinates me, because that is what my generation has witnessed, seeing London in ruins and then seeing it come up, and then fall down again.鈥�

Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, Phyllida displayed her work across north London in locations, including abandoned houses, playgrounds and the homes of friends. Sometimes, the artist would even throw her work into the Thames as a sculptural performance for 鈥渁n audience of one鈥�.

Alongside her art career,听Phyllida also began teaching, first in Bristol, then at Brighton, Camberwell, and finally at the Slade School of Art in 1986. In 2004 she was made Professor of Fine Art she stayed in her role her until she retired in 2009.

Rise to stardom

Just a year later, in 2010, Phyllida was visited by Iwan Wirth, the president of Swiss gallerists, Hauser & Wirth 鈥� who had heard about her work through her ex-students.听

In 2011, Phyllida was also accepted as a member of the Royal Academy of Arts. She was awarded a CBE for her services to the arts in 2015 and a damehood in 2021.

In 2017, she was also selected to represent Britain at the Venice International Art Biennale, which is regarded as the most important contemporary art festival in the world. Yet Phyllida was not intimidated by the global stage, saying: 鈥淭he interesting thing about coming to exhibition opportunities like this late in life, is that there鈥檚 no point having nerves鈥�.

Phyllida鈥檚 most recent exhibition, entitled Hurly-Burly and in collaboration with Whiteread and Alison Wilding, opened at Gagosian Paris in January 2023.

Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Slade School of Fine Art, Melanie Counsell, Associate Professor, Brighid Lowe, and Lecturer in Fine Art, Katrina Palmer, said: 鈥溾�漈his morning, we had planned to say a few things to the undergraduate sculpture students to convey to the students how truly brilliant, unique and special Phyllida Barlow was.

鈥淚n the end it was difficult to find any words without tears and such deep sadness. Phyllida, will forever be associated and remembered at the Slade School of Fine Art, and in particular Slade sculpture, in 鈥榮tudio 10鈥�, the heart of the Slade sculpture area. It was in this space that we held our meeting this morning - the memories, fun, laughter and legacy were all very real and palpable.听

鈥淲ithout a doubt we have lost a legend. Phyllida鈥檚 ability to speak about sculpture, materials and making in such a thought-provoking and inspiring way: she had an uncanny ability to disentangle thoughts, feelings, ideas and ambitions for students and their work from across all areas of the Slade.

鈥淭here are generations of students who owe so much to Phyllida鈥檚 extraordinary insights and generosity long after they graduated. Her colleagues learnt so much from teaching alongside her; her intellect was always evident, but her sense of humour was never far away. We are all greatly feeling her loss today, and we simply cannot believe it. Our thoughts are with her family, who were Phyllida鈥檚 world."

Iwan Wirth said: 鈥淗er ideas, knowledge, experience and wry humour were always shared with the most extraordinary warmth. Her generosity of spirit extended through her art, her writings, and her many years of teaching and mentorship.

鈥淎 truly thoughtful and companionable human being, Phyllida was a guiding light and inspiration to so many. Her loss will be felt deeply by all who knew and collaborated with her in the art community and beyond.

鈥淥ur thoughts are with Fabian and the wonderful family they created together.鈥�

Director of the Tate Modern, Francis Morris, added: 鈥淏arlow鈥檚 practice implicitly acknowledges that in a world saturated with objects, the role of sculpture and the job of the sculptor might be less about making things than generating a particular type of experience of the work, and of the world in which it temporarily resides.鈥�

Dame Phyllida Barlow, (4 April 1944-12 March 2023) is survived by her husband Fabian Peake, their children Florence, Clover, Tabitha, Eddie and Lewis, grandchildren, and her siblings, Camilla Whitworth and Jeremy Barlow.

For messages of condolences to be passed onto Phyllida鈥檚 family, please email condolences@hauserwirth.com.

Links

• UCL Slade School of Fine Art
• UCL Arts & Humanities

Image

(top to bottom)

• Credit:听Phyllida Barlow, in her studio, 2018漏 Phyllida Barlow. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Cat Garcia
• Credit:听Phyllida Barlow, 2022漏 Phyllida Barlow Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth Photo: Elon Schoenholz
• Credit:听Phyllida Barlow untitled: upturnedhouse 2012. Timber, plywood, scrim, cement, polystyrene, polyfiller, paint, varnish 350.5 x 508 x 325.1 cm / 138 x 200 x 128 inInstallation view,鈥楥rossroads: Carnegie Museum of Art鈥檚 Collection, 1945 to Now鈥�,Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh PA, 2018漏 Phyllida Barlow
• Credit:听Phyllida Barlow. TIP2013 Timber, steel, spray paint, wire mesh, cotton, cement, fabric, varnish 701 x 914.4 x 2728 cm / 276 x 360 x 1074 inInstallation view, Carnegie Museum of Art, '2013 Carnegie International', Pittsburgh PA, 2014漏 Phyllida Barlow. Photo: Greenhouse Media

Video

• Credit:听Filmed by Lyttanya Shannon.听Directed & produced by Kate Stonehill & Justin Hardy. Filmed for the Slade 150 Documentary: A Poem in Six Verses

Media contact听

Poppy Danby听

E: p.danby [at] ucl.ac.uk