Rupert Whale - Shape V, 1973

In this series from the 1970s Rupert Whale combines oblong shapes, playing with space, and overlays them to create the effect of deep colour. The repeated shapes echo sculptures Whale produced at the time using clay, but also industrial materials such as acrylic. The artist experimented with placing the sculptures in nature, exploring the interaction of the streamlined, sleek shapes with the natural environment. At the same time, looking to movements such as Pop Art and the work of Robert Rauschenberg, Whale began producing the shape series using a monotype process.