Reflecting on Eduardo Paolozzi: his contribution to DACS and his lasting legacy
Eduardo Paolozzi was not only a pioneering artist but also a founding member of DACS. Adrian Barr-Smith, Trustee and Secretary of the Paolozzi Foundation, played a key role in establishing DACS. Here he reflects on Paolozzi’s influence during the early days of advocating for artists’ rights. Today, Paolozzi’s impact endures, not only through his art but also through the support that DACS provides to artists.
I first met Eduardo Paolozzi while working at Artlaw in the late 1970s, where I provided legal support to artists. Our initial contact came from Marlee Robinson, Eduardo’s assistant and I soon had the opportunity to meet him when he climbed 3 flights of stairs to reach our office. Happily, we were able to help him resolve a dispute with a gallery, with which he had recently exhibited.
After Artlaw, I joined a law firm and Eduardo became a client there. What I was to learn about Eduardo was that he resembled a lone wolf. He didn’t, in general, collaborate with other artists. He enjoyed some security because he lived modestly and held two teaching posts, at the Royal College of Art and in Munich. He never compromised so he often found it difficult to accede to demands made by commercial galleries.
I continued working towards establishing a support resource for artists. The opportunity to create an organisation for artists crystallised in 1983. The artist collecting societies, which had long existed in France (ADAGP and SPADEM), were very keen to see sister societies established in the UK (and the USA). Until then, they had relied on representation in the UK by an accounting firm.
It's hard now to imagine a time without DACS, but back then, it felt like a void. A few isolated voices were advocating on behalf of artists. While they might benefit from an Arts Council grant or hold teaching positions, artists enjoyed little to no support when it came to dealing with publishers, museums, galleries, or broadcasters. No one was championing their cause in the same way as authors and composers and as a result, they were at a significant disadvantage.
I prepared a constitution for a new collecting society for UK artists, designers, and photographers, which was then incorporated as the Design and Artists Copyright Society - DACS. The corporate structure of DACS ensured that the control was in the hands of the Board and artists would be required to serve as directors. This, in turn, required seven creators to sign the Memorandum of Association and to become, at least initially, the Council of Management. These were artists who recognised the importance of taking action, including Eduardo Paolozzi, Elaine Kowalsky and Susan Hiller. Their initial commitment and involvement were crucial in shaping the foundation of DACS.
When I asked Eduardo to sign the memorandum, I was delighted when he immediately agreed to step up. I was privileged to represent Eduardo for over 30 years. Over that time he was creating a significant number of public works. Ownership of such works was not always vested in the owners of the site. For example, his work Piscator was at one time located on Railtrack at Euston station but is owned by the Arts Council England.
Eduardo also had a significant body of unsold work. There was no commercial gallery that could be relied on to represent his work and protect his interests. In order to safeguard and preserve this legacy, it was important to establish a continuing protector. Eduardo was understandably reluctant to talk about the hereafter at first but did agree to write a will and to use this to gift the unsold body of work and his copyright to a foundation.
When an artist dies, it requires someone who genuinely cares and takes an active interest to represent their legacy; otherwise, the artist’s voice risks being lost. In the case of Paolozzi’s public artworks, Piscator, formerly located on the forecourt of Euston Station, is currently in storage due to the station's redevelopment. Owned by Arts Council of England but sited on Railtrack, we are still awaiting a decision on its future. Without the Foundation maintaining oversight, there might be no one advocating on the artist's behalf.
The work of the Paolozzi Foundation today involves supporting educational activity about the artist and his work. For example, we have funded travel bursaries for students at the Royal College of Art and the Edinburgh College of Art. However, our work is obviously not confined to the education sector viz our support for the Paolozzi exhibition this year at Tony Cragg’s gallery in Wuppertal, Germany.
2024 is the centenary of Eduardo Paolozzi’s birth. There have also been exhibitions at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and at Nevill Holt Festival. Further shows are planned at Central St Martins and Jesus College Cambridge. The Foundation has also been involved, for example, in licensing Edinburgh Beer Factory to produce ‘Paolozzi’ lager and Leith Athletic FC to incorporate Paolozzi designs in its new club football kit. Licensing is important for the Foundation because it helps bring Eduardo's work to new audiences and encourages people to appreciate his artistic legacy. DACS’ role is key in making these licensing partnerships happen and ensures that his contributions to the art world are remembered.
Eduardo Paolozzi created a maquette for a sculpted head of Oscar Wilde but fell ill before it could be commissioned and cast. On 16 October, 2024, in celebration of the centenary of the artist's birth, a posthumous bronze cast by Paolozzi will be installed in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Cast in bronze, this monumental work unites two titans of the arts who lived and worked in Chelsea.
Posthumous casting is a subject not without controversy. However, in this case, we know that Eduardo’s intention was that the sculpture should be cast based on his design. The Foundation has taken advantage of the opportunity which has since emerged, in order to implement the artist’s intention.
The location originally served as a graveyard. Negotiation with the church authorities was lengthy and intricate. The support of Kensington & Chelsea local authority has been vital and helped to progress the planning consent process. The Oscar Wilde Society is enthusiastically behind the project. The work has been cast at the foundry of Pangolin Editions in Stroud and the casting has been overseen by one of Eduardo’s studio assistants.
It is wonderful to see how DACS has grown and succeeded since we first started in the early 1980s. What was once just an idea has now become a vital part of the art world, championing the interests of artists and ensuring that the voices of artists are heard. I am certain that Eduardo Paolozzi would have wholeheartedly supported this achievement. The development and success of DACS stand as a testament to the lasting impact of our efforts in advocating for artists.
About Adrian Barr-Smith
Adrian Barr Smith is a lawyer and the Trustee and Secretary of the Paolozzi Foundation. He was one of the visionary founders of DACS and helped shape it into the important organisation it is today, supporting artists' rights.
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