Joe Tilson b. 1928

"Joe Tilson's work is a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, combining ancient symbols with modern techniques." - Sir Norman Rosenthal

Joe Tilson, born in London in 1928, is a British artist associated with the Pop Art movement and known for his innovative approach to printmaking and mixed-media collage. Throughout his career, Tilson has explored a wide range of themes, often drawing inspiration from classical mythology, literature, and his own personal experiences. Tilson's art is characterized by its bold use of color, intricate compositions, and incorporation of diverse materials, including wood, metal, and found objects. He is particularly renowned for his vibrant screenprints, which often feature playful and surreal imagery layered with cultural and historical references. One of Tilson's recurring motifs is the use of geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, and triangles, which he arranges in dynamic and visually stimulating compositions. These shapes serve as both formal elements and symbolic representations, inviting viewers to contemplate themes of order, chaos, and the interplay between the natural and the man-made.

Pool Mantra displays a pop sensibility in its graphical simplicity and alludes to mass production of printed media through the repetitive stamping of the word 'pool' 144 times across its evenly divided surface. However, the work swims in much more esoteric waters than the US-imported mass culture that Pop Art is conventionally associated with. The use of mantras in religious rituals and meditation is a practice that originated in India more than three millennia ago and has deep significance for many religions including Hinduism and Buddhism.

Mantras may be written, chanted or even repeated silently – by standing before this large canvas and allowing it to fill our vision and our thoughts, Tilson invites us to participate in the same meditative practice undertaken during the work’s creation. The choice of the word ‘pool’ refers to the element of water; Tilson also produced mantra painting and prints for the moon, sky and sun. Tilson first adopted the theme in the 1970-73 Alchera series, which included diagrammatic representations of a cosmological system drawing from ancient Greek as well as Asian traditions.