Iron
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Contemporary Art Society
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/lynn-chadwick-880" aria-label="More by Lynn Chadwick" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Lynn Chadwick</a>
Dragonfly
Presented by the Contemporary Art Society 1951
abstraction
animals: insects & lower animals
anxiety
dragonfly
emotions and human qualities
emotions, concepts and ideas
figure
formal qualities
from recognisable sources
movement
<p>Dragonfly is made up of a network of welded iron rods, with the suspended, wing-like shapes balanced by its weighted tail. This careful balancing results in a work that can move and rotate, giving the appearance of an insect hunting for prey. Despite this specific reference to the natural world and the mobile’s organic, free movement, Chadwick’s work directly reflects on the world of industry and technology. This is indicated by his use of iron and welding, and by the engineered construction of the mobile’s latticework structure. Chadwick preferred to discuss these works in terms of their form and manufacture.</p><p><em>Gallery label, April 2019</em></p>
sculpture iron
17 June 2002 – 8 June 2003
2003-06-08
17 June 2002 – 8 June 2003
2003-06-08
2002-06-17
Tate Modern (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
2002-06-17
Circle of Influence: Herbert Read
Collection based display
15 September 2003 – 28 March 2004
2004-03-28
15 September 2003 – 28 March 2004
2004-03-28
2003-09-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2003-09-15
Lynn Chadwick
Exhibition
30 October 2010 – 18 November 2012
2012-11-18
30 October 2010 – 18 November 2012
2012-11-18
2010-10-30
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2010-10-30
Gallery 15
Collection based display
13 May 2013 – 7 April 2019
2019-04-07
13 May 2013 – 7 April 2019
2019-04-07
2013-05-13
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-05-13
Gallery 35
Collection based display
29 April 2019 – 22 March 2020
2020-03-22
29 April 2019 – 22 March 2020
2020-03-22
2019-04-29
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2019-04-29
G35 Refresh
Collection based display
Dragonfly
object: 2770 × 1060 × 260 mm
Presented by the <a href="/search?gid=999999975" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Contemporary Art Society</a> 1951
<div class="text">
<p>Dragonfly is made up of a network of welded iron rods, with the suspended, wing-like shapes balanced by its weighted tail. This careful balancing results in a work that can move and rotate, giving the appearance of an insect hunting for prey. Despite this specific reference to the natural world and the mobile’s organic, free movement, Chadwick’s work directly reflects on the world of industry and technology. This is indicated by his use of iron and welding, and by the engineered construction of the mobile’s latticework structure. Chadwick preferred to discuss these works in terms of their form and manufacture.</p>
</div>

Display caption
2019-04-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N06035</b> DRAGONFLY 1951
<br/> 
<br/> 
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Iron mobile, length 116 (295).
<br/>Presented by the Contemporary Art Society 1951.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Art d'Aujourd'hui</i>, IV, No.2, 1953, p.7.</p>
<p>Made in 1951 as a model for a large work to be presented by the Contemporary Art Society, but the Trustees decided to accept it in its present form. The work belongs to a series of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/k/kinetic-art" title="Glossary definition for 'Kinetic art'"><span>mobiles</span></a> which the artist began to experiment with in 1947, and which culminated in the complex structures of 1950–1, notably the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/metal" title="Glossary definition for 'Metal'"><span>iron</span></a> and copper ‘Fisheater’ commissioned by the Arts Council in 1951.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, I</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-08T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
abstraction animals: insects & lower animals anxiety dragonfly emotions and human qualities emotions, concepts and ideas figure formal qualities from recognisable sources movement