Objective Abstraction

This is the name of a technique of abstract art started by a group of British artists in 1933. The main protagonists were Graham Bell, William Coldstream, Rodrigo Moynihan, Tom Carr and Geoffrey Tibble. An exhibition took place at the Zwemmer Gallery in April 1934, however, only seven artists participated. They were Rodrigo Moynihan, Geoffrey Tibble, Graham Bell, Victor Pasmore, Ceri Richards, Thomas Carr and Ivon Hitchens. They all showed work in an exhibition entitled 'Objective Abstractions' and at the time they were all non-practitioners of abstract art.

Whereas the majority of abstract art at hat time was then geometric in shape, this form of abstract art was non-geometric and was allegedly evolved by improvisation rather than with any preconceived preparation. The short-lived movement was part of a wider circle of experimentation in British art prevalent at the time. An independent practitioner of this art form who did not exhibit at Zwemmer’s was Edgar Hubert. Ironically the majority of artists who did exhibit went on to become entirely representational painters starting and practising their art at the Euston Road School and elsewhere thereafter. The Zwemmer Gallery exhibition was the only occasion they showed under this banner. It is not known wny but Edgar Hubert and William Coldstream did not exhibit.