Lewis, Wyndham

Wyndham Lewis was a novelist, critic, and a predominant experimental artist who founded Vorticism, an early 20th century English abstract art movement. Lewis was born November 18, 1882, near Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, to Captain Charles Edward Lewis of New York and Anne Stuart of Great Britain. In 1893 his parents separated, and he moved with his mother to London. At the age of 16, Lewis enrolled in the Slade School of Art, where he spent the next three years studying. Following his formal education, Lewis left for the continent; between 1901 and 1909 he spent most of his time in France, but also traveled in Germany, Spain, and Holland.

Lewis returned to England in 1909, and that same year saw three of his stories published in the English Review . Subsequent to the publication of these stories, Lewis joined the literary circle of Ford Madox Hueffer, later known as Ford Madox Ford. While pursuing his literary career, Lewis continued to produce visual works of art. In 1911 his drawings were exhibited with the Camden Town Group, and in 1912 he had works in the Post-Impressionist exhibition organized by Roger Fry. The following year, Lewis joined Roger Fry's Omega workshop, only to split from the group later that same year. In 1913 Lewis also took part in Frank Rutter's Post-Impressionist and Futurist exhibition, and in an exhibition with the London Group.

In 1914 Lewis founded his own group, the Rebel Art Centre, and its movement, Vorticism (named by Ezra Pound). In 1914 and 1915, Lewis published the only two issues of the Vorticist review, Blast . During this time he was mainly associated with such figures as Richard Aldington, Gaudier-Brzeska, Ezra Pound, William Roberts, and Edward Wadsworth.

Lewis served in World War I. His first novel, Tarr, was published in 1918. In 1919 he attempted to revive Vorticism under the name X Group, which held one exhibition in 1920. After this time Lewis was not connected with any art groups, but he continued exhibiting his work, in addition to publishing books and articles. He spent the years of World War II in the United States and Canada, but returned to England in 1945. In 1946 he became the art critic of the Listener . Wyndham Lewis died March 7, 1957, in London.

From the guide to the Wyndham Lewis Art Collection, 1898-1949, bulk ca. 1919-1932, (Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin)