Bash (Eduardo Paolozzi, 1971)

Identification of the Artwork Bash

Bash is a colour screenprint by Eduardo Paolozzi. Created in 1971, this work exists as an artist's proof. The piece utilizes printer's ink on paper to achieve its visual complexity.

The composition functions through a dense assemblage of imagery. It incorporates various forms including people, animals, clocks, hearts, and televisions. A large heart serves as the central focal point, flanked by two clocks that introduce a sense of urgency. A television set positioned in the middle adds a layer of technological symbolism to the arrangement.

Paolozzi’s approach in Bash reflects a preoccupation with mass culture and the machine age. The imagery is layered with diverse elements, from robotic figures to urban architecture and celestial motifs like rockets. This method of assembling disparate forms into a single cohesive whole characterizes the artist's engagement with the visual language of the twentieth century.

Technical Details and Physical Dimensions

This colour screenprint was executed using printer's ink on paper. The medium allows for a dense layering of imagery, characteristic of the artist's engagement with mass-produced visual culture. The composition relies on the precise application of ink to create a complex, fragmented narrative through the screenprinting process.

The physical dimensions of the sheet are 85cm in height and 59.5cm in width. This specific instance is an artist's proof, a version produced outside the standard numbered edition to allow for further experimentation or as a personal record of the print's development.

Provenance and Museum Collection History

This colour screenprint entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1972. It was acquired directly from the artist during that year. The work is cataloged under the accession number CIRC.515-1972.

The piece is an artist's proof. It bears the inscription V&A A/P Eduardo Paolozzi 1971. This specific designation identifies its status within the print series. It remains part of the permanent holdings of the V&A.