JOE TILSON (1928-2023) ‘Earth Cube 1’, 1981

Joe Tilson (1928–2023)
Earth Cube 1, 1981
Soft-ground etching and carborundum in colours
Edition 44/80
Image: 61 × 49.5 cm | Framed: 63 × 51 cm
Pencil signed and dated

Joe Tilson was one of the most inventive figures in post-war British art, moving beyond his early association with Pop Art to develop a practice deeply informed by mythology, ecology, geometry, and ancient cultures. During the 1970s and 1980s, he increasingly explored themes connected to the natural world, creating works that reflected humanity’s relationship with the earth and its elemental forces.

Earth Cube 1 belongs to this mature period, combining symbolic imagery with a structured geometric format. The cube, a recurring motif in Tilson’s work, serves as both a formal device and a metaphor for order, stability, and the physical world. Richly coloured and textured through the use of soft-ground etching and carborundum, the print demonstrates the artist’s mastery of complex printmaking techniques and his ability to balance tactile surface qualities with bold graphic design.

Produced in an edition of 80 and signed and dated by the artist, Earth Cube 1 exemplifies Tilson’s synthesis of intellectual inquiry and visual vitality. The work reflects his enduring fascination with universal symbols and the interconnectedness of nature, culture, and human experience.