Ikon reception, ground floor

On 5 April 1965 Ikon opened the doors of an octagonal glass-walled kiosk in the BullRing shopping precinct. Now to celebrate the 50th anniversary, there will be a constellation of small golden paintings (c. 1965) by founding artist Robert Groves in Ikon’s reception area. They still shine with a luminosity derived from the superimposition of thin layers of oil and lacquer on hardboard. The works reflect the artist’s strong interest in Middle Eastern and South Asian culture, leading him to collect icons and in turn suggest the name ‘Ikon’ for the gallery.