Joe Tilson was a founding figure of British Pop Art, celebrated for his bold use of colour, symbolism, and experimental approach to printmaking. After training as a carpenter, he studied at St. Martin’s School of Art (1949–52) and the Royal College of Art (1952–55), where he emerged alongside Peter Blake, Allen Jones, and Patrick Caulfield. Tilson’s early work embraced the visual language of consumer culture, but by the 1970s, he shifted towards themes of mythology, history, and nature. A lifelong printmaker, his work spans painting, multiples, and constructions. His art is held in major collections, including Tate, MoMA, the V&A, Stedelijk Museum, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, Yale Center for British Art, and the Walker Art Center. A Royal Academician, Tilson remained an innovator throughout his career.
