Much of his greatest work was painted here, and from the early 70s Feliks had an ‘Open Studio’ every Friday from 3pm, with open doors to whoever so wished to pop their head in to talk art, theatre, politics, London, love, music...
Whilst no longer the artistic bohemian working studio of Feliks’ lifetime, the space continues as an archive, storage facility and educational space with Feliks central principles and philosophies of objectivity, curiosity, tolerance and openness at its core.
Topolski’s epic 600 foot long, 12-20 foot high Memoir of the Century constitutes a visual diary of the artist’s life and a personal view of the 20th century. Topolski viewed the piece as the apex of his creative path, stepping back to reflect upon a life lived, whilst continuing to add to it; it was never meant to be completed.
Full of the characters and events that he witnessed, the work is an impressive and immersive journey through the last century. Once displayed in its labyrinthine entirety on the Southbank, the work is now primarily stored in the Studio.
Interactive immersive tour of the Memoir
For a full immersive tour of the artwork following its conservation in 2009, follow the link above.
Topolski used the arch underneath Hungerford Bridge as his primary studio from 1951 through to his death in 1989. Acquiring the space in the months following his nearby mural commission for the Festival of Britain that year, the arch became the artist’s social and creative core.
Much of Topolski’s greatest work was painted at the Studio, and from the early 1970s Feliks had an ‘Open Studio’ every Friday from 3pm, with open doors to whoever so wished to pop their head in to talk art, theatre, politics, London, love, music and whatever else. From world leaders and cultural or artistic icons, to soldiers, revolutionaries, vagabonds, visitors and drop-ins, the Studio was a vibrant hub of social exchange.
Whilst no longer the bohemian working studio of Feliks’ lifetime, the space continues as an archive, storage facility and educational space with Feliks central principles and philosophies of objectivity, curiosity, tolerance and openness at its core. With artist residencies in the works, our objective is to allow for the Studio to continue to be an independent place for open discussion, creative expression and critical engagement with current affairs.
Topolski began publishing the fortnightly Topolski’s Chronicle in 1953, with the intention of drawing life and communicating a “pictorial chronicle to [his] contemporaries.” The Chronicle was free from fixed rules and included serial features, textual decorations and “round-the-world” experiences. Topolsk’s distinctive style turned this broadsheet into an immediate and evocative
What followed was a 15 year period of prolific travel, and documentation of some of the 20th century’s most important figures and events Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, General Douglas MacArthur; Laurence Olivier, Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, Mick Jagger; Chicago 1968, Havana, Bergen-Belsen; Punks, Hippies, Black Panthers, Maasai, Apartheid and the Viet Cong. All of it eyewitness.
It is an unparalleled visual history of the 20th century and it is our goal to allow its insights to speak to a contemporary audience.