Peter Blake exhibits Rock, Paper, Scissors

Still, he is one of the UK’s best-loved artists and there hasn’t been a major retrospective of his work since 2008, and that was in Bilbao, Spain. And it was his 80^th this year.

 Rock, Paper, Scissors will offer a new insight into the work of Blake across the elemental sculpture, paper and collage pieces which make-up his portfolio.

There will also be new work, taking an autobiographical direction, which moves on from pieces he has made in homage to other artists.

Now rather then making found-object sculpture and collage based on other artist’s work, he’s creating self-referential work by using ‘his personal collection of objects,’ according to organisers.

These are themselves quite abstract materials he has collected over time, rather then such as electrical appliances, or unwanted gifts and souvenirs lying around  his Chiswick home.

Three new series of collages have been created. Small London, Days Out, and World Tour are based on vintage post-cards and sees Blake reuse characters from his Paris, Vichy and Butterfly Man series.

 The Small London collection reimagines the likes of Hyde Park, Regents Park, and Westminster Abbey visited by animals, flying acrobats, dancers and skeletons.

 Comprising ten collages the series is full of referential clues to Blake’s own history.

Sculptures include two alphabets cast from Blake’s memento and found object collection and a 2m high sculpture made-up of scrap wood and discarded objects, representing a family.

In the spirit of the other works a piece about Shakespeare Blake started in 1964 called Drake, Land Wars in Ireland and Essex, is being revisited with the new title Once Upon a Time and now features storybook characters more typical of his work since.

 Peter Blake: Rock, Paper, Scissors runs from 21 November – 15 December at Waddington Custot Galleries, 11 Cork Street, London, W1S