Independent Group
The Independent Group (IG) was an association of English artists founded in 1952 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London by Lawrence Alloway , Alison and Peter Smithson , Richard Hamilton , Eduardo Paolozzi , Reyner Banham and others.
The artists' association was a rather loose association of architects, sculptors and art critics and discussed ideas about including trivial culture such as advertising and mass media in the concept of art from an early stage. This is where the term Pop Art originated in 1956.
The narrow circle of the artist group had about 20 members . The focus was not on the end product of the exhibition , but on the acquisition of knowledge about sources, relationships and effects. Initially, the screenings in which Eduardo Paolozzi presented his bunk collages dominated. He did not consider any structuring principle, but instead showed a rapid sequence of projected collages made up of magazines , trivial literature and product advertising without any comment .
This type of lecture was decisive for the entire pop direction. Paolozzi and his Independent Group members were aware of this deeper meaning, but claimed to only want to exhibit favorite pictures.
The first lectures - with the exception of those by Paolozzi - were devoted to more technological topics such as: B. Body design, machine aesthetics and helicopter design. Only later did aspects such as fashion , science fiction , pop music and Hollywood films gain in importance. More and more members of the Independent Group devoted themselves to the diverse manifestations of mass culture.
Exhibitions
- 1953 at the ICA "Parallel of Life and Art"
- Their last joint action was the 1956 exhibition "This Is Tomorrow".