Tilson, Joe | Mnemonic Device, 1975 — available on Composition Gallery

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Lithograph on paper

Joe Tilson’s Mnemonic Device (1975) is a striking lithograph that fuses conceptual art with visual poetry. The composition, a circular diagram, integrates symbols, words, and images to explore themes of time, nature, and the classical elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Surrounding the diagram are notations referencing seasons, ancient alphabets, and mythological associations, creating a dynamic interplay between textual and visual elements. Tilson draws inspiration from ancient cosmology and cultural archetypes, presenting a multi-layered work that invites reflection on the interconnectedness of natural cycles and human understanding. The limited-edition print measures 104 x 74.5 cm and showcases Tilson’s mastery of graphic design and his affinity for blending modernist aesthetics with esoteric knowledge.

Joe Tilson (United Kingdom, 1928–2023) was a British artist and a leading figure in the Pop Art movement of the 1960s. His work encompassed paintings, prints, and constructions, often incorporating vibrant colors and popular culture imagery. Tilson's art is held in public collections including the Tate Gallery, London; MoMA, New York; and the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.

Joe Tilson

Mnemonic Device, 1975

Name: Mnemonic Device, 1975
SKU: 11161
Price: 2250.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Form

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition PrintA limited edition print is one of a number of prints made at the same time from one printmaking plate. A fixed number are made and signed by the artist, indicating the printing order, using the format 1/10, meaning first of ten prints.

Medium

Lithograph

Lithograph Lithography is a printing method based on the principle that water and oil do not mix. It can be used to print artwork or text onto paper or other suitable materials. Traditionally, an image was drawn with wax, fat, or oil onto a lithographic limestone surface or plate. Today, metal plates and other surfaces are also used in lithographic printing.

Edition

Edition of 80 + PA

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●Inventory 11161

●Signed

Limited Edition Print

Lithograph

USD 2,000

Joe Tilson

The oracle of zeus, 1980

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition Print

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I think it's a mistake for painters or poets to get too involved in politics, any more than it makes sense for them to get swept up in being fashionable.
- Joe Tilson

One of the leading artists of the 1960’s British Pop Art movement, Joe Tilson has drawn from his own experience as a carpenter to create wooden reliefs and constructions, alongside prints and paintings. His earliest work was print-making; Tilson would craft unique prints on which he would paint directly, adding a handmade quality - he would often blur the lines between two and three-dimensional space, as evident in his Bela Lugosi Journal piece. Later in his career, Tilson began to widen his range of materials to include rope, straw and stone, all of which he used as a means to escape the constraints of time and culture by making use of pre-classical motifs for which he is now widely recognised. (Artist website)

Artwork by Andy Warhol

What is pop-art?

Pop Art is an art movement that began in Britain in 1955 and in the late 1950s in the U.S. It challenged traditional fine arts by incorporating imagery from popular culture, such as news, advertising, and comic books. Pop Art often isolates and recontextualizes materials, combining them with unrelated elements. The movement is more about the attitudes and ideas that inspired it than the specific art itself. Pop Art is seen as a reaction against the dominant ideas of Abstract Expressionism, bringing everyday consumer culture into the realm of fine art.

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Joe Tilson

Mnemonic Device, 1975

104 x 74.5 cm

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Joe Tilson