Kenneth
Armitage

Kenneth Armitage (b. 1916 in Leeds; d. 2002 in London) was a fellow of the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program (BKP) in 1967. Influenced by the art of Henry Moore, he is known for sculptures that combine figurative elements—above all human forms—with abstract elements, often in a humorous manner. In 1960 Armitage’s sculptures were shown together with those of Lynn Chadwick in exhibitions at the Kestner Gesellschaft, Hanover, and at the Haus am Waldsee, Berlin. As one of the leading British sculptors of his day, Armitage had already established links to Berlin before he received the BKP Grant Award. For example, he had commissioned works at the Hermann Noack foundry, and in 1961 his bronze sculpture Triarchi (1957)—three figures merging into a single body on a plinth—was installed in the foyer of the newly built Deutsche Oper, where it can still be seen. Although his stay was initially limited to six months, Armitage had it extended several times and ended up staying in West Berlin for a total of two years. In 1968 he took part in the Sunday protests by Berlin students; he later reported on his support for their cause—a recording is available on the British Library website, in the section “Oral history curator’s choice.” Not long after he left Berlin, Armitage created the bronze sculpture Both Arms (1969–70), which was inspired by the energy and tension in the divided city. It features two single arms, bent at the elbows and with balled fists, that are installed parallel to one another on a geometric pedestal. In 2001 the sculpture was erected along with a blue plaque on Millennium Square in Leeds, where it was unveiled by Nelson Mandela; a cast of this bronze is held in the permanent collection of the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan. The period in Berlin also benefitted Armitage in other ways: he was offered a full professorship at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste (now the UdK) in Berlin; in 1969 he was appointed a Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II; and a half-hour film was made about him by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk broadcasting company.

Kenneth Armitage took part in the 26th Venice Biennale in 1952; he participated in the first documenta in Kassel in 1955, and his work was also included in documenta 2 and 3 (1959 and 1964); in 1956 he won a competition to design a war memorial in Krefeld; and at the 29th Venice Biennale in 1958 he won the award for “best young British sculptor”.

Text: Eva Scharrer

Translation: Jacqueline Todd