Paolozzi at Large in Edinburgh

Eduardo Paolozzi (1924-2005) was one of the greatest Scottish and European artists of the 20th Century. He was a prolific sculptor and printmaker as well as an inspirational teacher. His was an exceptional talent, drawing on culture in all its forms, from Classical myths to comics and ephemera. Most would agree he was the originator of the Pop Art movement.

He was born in Edinburgh into an immigrant Italian family who ran an ice cream shop in Albert Street, Leith. There was no ‘silver spoon’ or patronage available; only ingenuity and dedication.

Despite having lived and worked in the cosmopolitan art worlds of London, Paris, Berlin, New York and Osaka, his native city is where you will find not only some of his most arresting work but also a demonstration of the breadth of his creativity: from colossal bronzes to subtle stained glass. Although some of his work is archived in the University of Edinburgh, or held privately, most is displayed as public art or exhibited in the National Galleries.

Paolozzi at Large in Edinburgh is an homage to this inestimable treasure inherited by the city. The inspiration for it has been Paolozzi’s unique way of making art as a ceaseless creative process, as a 'constant re-invention' of a 'world at large'. Reflecting the artist’s multifaceted approach, the book contains a vibrant combination of responses to his revolutionary oeuvre, in particular the Edinburgh masterpieces. These tributes include new poems in English with Italian translations, informed commentaries and responsive artworks.