Hamilton, Richard | Kent State, 1970 — available on Composition Gallery

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Silk-screen on Schoeller Durex paper

Kent State by Richard Hamilton, created in 1970, is a limited edition silkscreen print on Schoeller Durex paper that reflects on the tragic events at Kent State University earlier that year. The artwork fuses elements of documentary photography with graphic design, using a blurred and distorted image reminiscent of a television broadcast to capture the tension and chaos of the moment. The hazy depiction evokes a sense of immediacy and disorientation, highlighting Hamilton’s sensitivity to the socio-political climate of the time. The large format (74 cm × 102 cm) amplifies the emotional impact, inviting viewers to confront the historical significance and reflect on themes of violence, media representation, and freedom of expression.

Richard Hamilton (United Kingdom, 1922–2011) was a British painter and collage artist, often regarded as the father of Pop Art. His 1956 collage 'Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?' is considered one of the earliest works of the movement. Hamilton's innovative approach combined popular culture with fine art, influencing generations of artists.

Richard Hamilton

Kent State, 1970

Name: Kent State, 1970
SKU: 11171
Price: 3450.00 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

Silkscreen

Silkscreen Silkscreen is a printmaking method that uses a screen made of silk or other mesh fabric. The screen is treated with a substance that blocks ink in certain areas, allowing ink to pass through only in the desired sections. Each color in the print requires a separate screen.

Edition

Edition of 5000 + 50 AP + Stage proof

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●Inventory 11171

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Silk-screen on Schoeller Durex paper

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The artist in twentieth-century urban life is inevitably a consumer of mass culture and potentially a contributor to it.
- Richard Hamilton

As a painter and collage artist, Richard Hamilton is highly recognised as the founder of Pop Art – a lollipop from one of his earliest collages gave the style its name, and his work outlined many of the ideals and aims that now define the movement. Hamilton’s most notable works include his early piece - Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? - the piece depicts a muscly man posing provocatively with a Tootsie Pop, alongside a bare-breasted woman wearing a lampshade for a hat; both of these figures are surrounded by 1950’s emblems of affluence such as canned ham and a vacuum cleaner. Throughout his career, Hamilton experimented with numerous materials including acrylic glass, plasticisers and plywood – extreme care was taken to preserve the plastics used in his work after previous complications had led to certain works being damaged.

Artwork by Laure Prouvost

What is Lettrism?

Lettrism is an art form that uses letters, words, and symbols to create artwork. The movement was established in Paris in the 1940s and later gained popularity in the 1950s in America. Lettrisme is the French spelling of the movement's name, derived from the French word for letter.

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Richard Hamilton

Kent State, 1970

74 x 102 cm

Language & Currency

Richard Hamilton