Gustav Metzger: towards auto-destructive art 1950–1962

Strange exhibition at Tate Britain looking at the work of Gustav Metzger created against the background of the threat of nuclear war.

Metzger was part of the 100 Committee and went to prison for encouraging non-violent action again nuclear weapons. His art was founded on ideas of destruction. OK that all tries to explain it but now I have to say I didn’t get it! It all looked just a mess to me!

There were 8 bad pictures of a table the blurb said it looked like an atom bomb but that passed me by! There were also nylon sheets that had had acid on them plus a strange installation piece which was meant to be society engineering its own destruction. Sorry I just thought it all looked a mess!

 

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