Art and design Birmingham

rhyl sands (ca. 1854), oil on canvas, david cox depicting rhyl, wales

the birmingham school of landscape artists emerged daniel bond in 1760s , last mid 19th century. important figure david cox, later works make him important precursor of impressionism. influence of royal birmingham society of artists , birmingham school of art made birmingham important centre of victorian art, particularly within pre-raphaelite , arts , crafts movements. major figures included pre-raphaelite , symbolist edward burne-jones; walter langley, first of newlyn school painters; , joseph southall, leader of group of artists , craftsmen known birmingham group.

the birmingham surrealists among harbingers of surrealism in britain in 1930s , movement s active members in 1940s, while more abstract artists associated city included lee bank-born david bomberg , cobra member william gear. birmingham artists prominent in several post-war developments in art: peter phillips among central figures in birth of pop art; john salt major european figure among pioneers of photo-realism; , blk art group used painting, collage , multimedia examine politics , culture of black british identity. contemporary artists city include turner prize winner gillian wearing , turner prize shortlisted richard billingham, john walker , roger hiorns.

birmingham s role manufacturing , printing centre has supported strong local traditions of graphic design , product design. iconic works birmingham designers include baskerville font, ruskin pottery, acme thunderer whistle, art deco branding of odeon cinemas , mini.