Dreams of the World Order 1960s Michael Kidner

This catalogue was published to coincide with the artist's solo exhibition Dreams of the World Order 1960s, 25 September - 9 December 2009 in the Hugh Casson Room at the Royal Academy of Arts. 

Born in Northamptonshire, 1917, Michael Kidner studied History at Cambridge University. His distinguished career has included many honors, influential teaching posts, international group shows and one man exhibitions in Britain, Eastern Europe, Brazil, Austria and Scandinavia. Kidner was described by American art historian and critic Irving Sandler as “arguably the first Op Artist in Britain”, following his investigations of the optical effects of light, color and systemic structure during the 1960s. Optics presented Kidner with a challenge in his pursuit of a pure form of imagery, seeking a phenomenological approach to the fluctuating effects of light and color within the space set by the canvas.