Chadwick

Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003)

Lynn Russel Chadwick CBE (1914–2003) was a British artist and sculptor celebrated for his bold, geometric, and expressive forms, often depicting human and animal figures in stylized, abstract shapes. Known for his innovative approach, Chadwick developed a unique aesthetic that bridged traditional sculpting techniques with modernist abstraction, making him one of the most significant British artists of the post-war period. He first trained as an architectural draughtsman but began producing metal mobile sculpture during the 1940s. With the outbreak of World War II, he served as a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. After the war, Chadwick returned to architectural drawing, but he grew increasingly interested in art and sculpture, eventually leaving architecture to focus on his artistic pursuits. Chadwick’s early experiments in sculpture in the late 1940s and were largely self-taught. He worked with unconventional materials for the time, such as iron, steel, and bronze, forming skeletal structures and then filling them with materials like plaster. This technique evolved into what became his signature style: angular, spiky figures characterized by a sense of movement, tension, and energy. His work gained international recognition in the early 1950s, particularly after participating in the British pavilion at the 1952 Venice Biennale, where he exhibited alongside Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. His works’ rawness and originality made a striking impression. By 1956, Chadwick’s rising prominence culminated in his receiving the prestigious International Sculpture Prize—a remarkable achievement, as he won over Henry Moore and became the first sculptor of his generation to receive the award.