Clive Barker, n.d.
1940
Born in Luton.
1957
Starts training as a painter at Luton College of Technology and Art.
1959
Barker decides to break with his art school training. He refuses to take up a place offered by St. Martin's School of Art, London.
1960
Starts working on the assembly line at Vauxhall Motors, Luton. Working with chrome-plated and leather-upholstered car parts will later prove to be a formative experience.
1961
Gives up his job at Vauxhall Motors and moves with his wife Rose Bruen to London. Commences working for a pawnbroker. Starts concentrating on making objects. Using corrugated cardboard, Barker fabricates a series of five targets, realising his own version of this Pop Art icon. He also makes use of found objects.
1963
Visits "The Popular Image," ICA (24 Oct.-23.Nov.), the first London overview of American Pop Art.
1964
Gives up his job as a pawnbroker's assistant to concentrate on sculpture.
1965
Tutors at the Maidstone School of Art. The Arts Council selected two screenprints for its "New Prints 2" show. Additionally, his storage unit burned down, destroying several objects.
1966
Starts working with Morris Singer Foundry (London). With the support of gallerist Robert Fraser Barker realizes his first works in chrome-plated bronze. Fraser includes Barker's Van Gogh's Chair 1966 in a group show with Richard Hamilton, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol and others. Barker's exhibit wins him instant fame, invitations to show internationally follow soon afterwards.
1968
First one-man show at the Robert Fraser Gallery utilising a broad spectrum of metals.
1969
Robert Fraser closes his gallery. Barker is now represented by the Hannover Gallery.
1970
The Tate Gallery, London, purchases his work Splash (1967).
1971
After a visit to the Louvre makes Chained Venus and Roped Venus (destroyed), his first references to classical sculpture, with which he becomes preoccupied.
1987
With Venus Escargot Barker returns to the classical theme.
1990
The use of the Venus head continues.
1998
The production of 43 works heralds a creative outburst which will last for two years. Continues to reference classical sculpture.
2002
A catalogue raisonné of his work is published.