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July Figure (Version 1)

July Figure (Version 1) © EP 2021

Reino Unido, 1975

Escultura de bronze, pátina preta, 77.54 cm

inscrição «KA 1975/92» (no plinto)

Comprada ao artista em 1992


Kenneth Armitage foi uma das principais figuras da escultura britânica do renascimento pós-guerra. Com efeito, o polo artístico em que Londres se transformara foi duramente atingido pela guerra, obrigando todos os artistas a suspender as suas carreiras. Uma vez assentada a poeira, os edifícios continuavam destruídos, os materiais artísticos escasseavam e as oportunidades eram raras. Neste contexto, Armitage, juntamente com Butler, Paolozzi e Chadwick (com quem o seu trabalho dialoga explicitamente), desempenharam um papel importante e fundamental. Academicamente, o escultor estudou no Leeds College of Art (1934-1937), matriculando-se mais tarde na Slade School of Fine Art, em Londres, em 1937, tendo a sua formação sido abruptamente interrompida pela guerra em 1939. Após o conflito, Armitage retomou o seu percurso académico, ocupando o cargo de diretor do Departamento de Escultura da Bath Academy of Art, em Corsham, Wiltshire, de 1945 a 1956. A sua obra é marcadamente expressionista, de conceção plana e frontal. Estas escolhas, para além de impulsionarem o desenvolvimento da escultura na sua ilha, parecem estar em oposição direta com as peças monumentais orgânicas, volumétricas e sinestésicas de Henry Moore. Matar o pai simbólico Moore era característico da maioria (ou mesmo da totalidade) dos escultores britânicos do pós-guerra. Os membros filiformes de Armitage (derivados da sua técnica de modelagem com pré-fundição) e o uso de bases planas evocam as obras de um mestre moderno, Giacometti. July Figure (Version 1) é uma obra mais cheia e mais totémica do que as obras mais conhecidas de Armitage. No entanto, as proporções, a postura e o acabamento opaco da figura remetem para as inspirações primitivas e arcaicas que definiram as gerações de Moore e, mais tarde, de Armitage. Além disso, esta peça dialoga de forma coerente com a Stepping Figure de um ano antes, uma serigrafia do escultor que faz parte da coleção de arte contemporânea do Parlamento Europeu.
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July Figure (Version 1)

Kenneth ARMITAGE

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  • 1982

    Piet Dankert

    Piet Dankert served as President of the European Parliament from 19 January 1982 until 24 July 1984.


    Acquisitions

    Acquisitions of artworks from The United Kingdom and Ireland.

  • 1983

    Acquisitions

    Acquisitions of artworks from Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark.


    Altiero Spinelli present the draft treaty on European Union.

  • 1984

    Second European elections

    European elections take place for the second time. Voters elect 434 members of the European Parliament from 10 countries. Socialists get about 30% of the seats and widen the gap with the centre-right EPP (25%).


    Pierre Pflimlin

    Pierre Pflimlin served as President of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1987.


    EP report on European Union

    The European Parliament adopts a draft treaty on European Union, authored by Italian MEP Altiero Spinelli. The federalist vision in the report inspires future talks on revisions to the founding treaties.

  • 1986

    Enlargement: Spain & Portugal

    Spain and Portugal join in the “Iberian enlargement”.

  • 1987

    Henry Plumb

    Henry Plumb, Baron Plumb served as President of the European Parliament from 1987 to 1989, the only Briton to hold the post.


    Single European Act

    The Single European Act formulates the objective of creating a single market by removing barriers and harmonising standards.

    It introduces the cooperation and assent procedures that for the first time give the EP a real say on legislation, and makes the name “European Parliament” official.

  • 1988

    Sakharov Prize

    The Parliament establishes the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to honour people and groups from all over the world fighting for human rights.

    South African anti-apartheid activist and future president Nelson Mandela and late Soviet dissident Anatoly Marchenko are the first laureates.

  • 1989

    Fall of the Berlin Wall

    After weeks of civil unrest, the East German authorities open the crossing of the Berlin Wall in an act that symbolises the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe.


    Enrique Barón Crespo

    Enrique Barón Crespo served as President of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1992.


    3rd European elections

    In the third elections for the European Parliament a total of 518 MEPs from 12 countries are elected. The Socialists get more seats than anyone else (about 35%).

  • 1990

    Reunification of Germany

    East Germany is reunified with the Federal Republic of Germany. Parliament welcomes 18 non-voting observers to represent the new German provinces until elections in 1994.


    2nd round of acquisitions

    Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Greece.

  • 1991

    Wars in former Yugoslavia

    Slovenia and Croatia declare independence from Yugoslavia. Tensions between the nations that have been part of the collapsing federation lead to violent wars for much of the following decade despite peace-making efforts by Western powers.


    2nd round of acquisitions

    Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: Greece and France.

  • 1992

    Egon A. Klepsch

    Egon A. Klepsch served as President of the European Parliament from 1992 to 1994.


    2nd round of acquisitions

    Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

  • 1993

    Maastricht Treaty

    The Maastricht Treaty paves the way for the creation of the European Union and the euro. It introduces the codecision procedure giving Parliament an equal say with the Council in some areas of legislation and gives Parliament the power to approve the Commission as a whole.


    Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

  • 1994

    Klaus Hänsch

    Klaus Hänsch served as served as President of the European Parliament from 1994 to 1997.


    1994 European elections

    European elections are held for the fourth time. A total of 567 members of the European Parliament from 12 countries are elected with the Socialists forming the largest group (35%) ahead of the centre-right EPP (28%).

  • 1995

    Enlargement

    Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU bringing the number of member states to 15.

  • 1997

    José María Gil-Robles

    José María Gil-Robles served as President of the European Parliament from 1997 to 1999.


    Signature of Amsterdam Treaty

    Signing of the Amsterdam Treaty. The Treaties establishing the European Communities and a few related acts were signed in the presence of the President of the European Parliament, José María Gil-Robles.

  • 1998

    Belfast Agreement

    The signing of the ‘Good Friday’ or ‘Belfast Agreement’ between the Irish and the British governments led to the end of 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

  • 1999

    1999 European elections

    Voters from 15 EU countries go to the polls to elect 626 MEPs. The centre-right EPP-ED becomes the largest political group for the first time.


    Nicole Fontaine

    Nicole Fontaine served as President of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2002.


    EURO

    The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999, replacing the former European Currency Unit (ECU).


    Amsterdam Treaty

    The Amsterdam treaty simplifies and broadens the application of the codecision lawmaking procedure. Parliament gets the right to approve the Commission president.

  • 2000

    Charter of Fundamental Rights

    The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU is solemnly proclaimed after having been drafted by a European convention with the active involvement of MEPs.

    Article 13.
    Freedom of the arts and sciences. The arts and scientific research shall be free of constraint. Academic freedom shall be respected.

    Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000/C 364/01)


    Acquisition programme

    3rd round of acquisitions with Austria, Finland and Sweden.

  • 2001

    National parliaments exhibiton in Brussels and Strasbourg. This exhibition was created at the initiative of President Gil Robles and was officially opened on 17 December 2001 by the then President Nicole Fontaine. It consists of works of art donated or loaned by 15 national parliaments.

  • 2002

    Pat Cox

    Pat Cox served as President of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004.


    Euro is launched

    Euro notes and coins come into circulation – a crucial stage in the construction of an economic and monetary union in Europe.