Richard Hamilton

RICHARD HAMILTON (London, 1922-2011).
"Don't forget", 1979.
Silkscreen for Duchamp exhibition.
Provenance: Cadaqués gallery.
Measurements: 59 x 42 cm; 73 x 55 cm (frame).

he poster "DON'T FORGET" is a work of art created by the British artist Richard Hamilton in homage to Marcel Duchamp. The poster was designed for a posthumous exhibition of Duchamp's work in Cadaqués in 1979. The phrase "Don't forget" and Duchamp's signature reflect his disregard for authorship and the idea of the artist as genius.

Richard Hamilton was one of the leading exponents of British pop art. His work, influenced by cubism, futurism and chronophotography, works with movement and perspective, aspects that he developed during the years 1941 and 1946 when he worked as a technical draughtsman. In 1952, Hamilton taught typography and industrial design at the Central School of Art and Design in London, forming the "Independent Group" together with artists such as Eduardo Paolozzi, Alison and Peter Smithson and Lawrence Alloway, a group in which he played an essential role when, in the exhibition "This is Tomorrow" at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London, he presented the manifesto of British pop art ("Just What Is It That Makes Today's Homes So Different, So Appealing?"). In 1963 Hamilton went to the Girona town of Cadaqués -becoming a fervent lover- invited by Marcel Duchamp, establishing a friendship that would later be joined by fellow artist Dieter Roth. He was a mentor to important pop art artists such as David Hockney and Peter Blake. Hamilton met Paul McCartney, which led him to design the cover of the Beatles' album "White Album" (1968), which became an ode to minimalism. As he advanced in his career as an artist, he introduced new artistic techniques through computers. Among his celebrated exhibitions are the retrospectives dedicated to him at the Tate Gallery in London and the Reina Sofia Museum (both in 2014). His work is also currently held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, as well as in many other public and private collections.