Biography
The London Artists' Association was set up in 1925 by Samuel Courtauld and John Maynard Keynes at the instigation of Roger Fry, for the purpose of assisting young artists by giving them a small but regular income in the event that they failed to sell a picture. Located in London's New Bond Street, the Association’s aim was to organise exhibitions with the backing of financial guarantors so that artists could show their work at minimal cost, and also be guaranteed a small income if the work failed to sell. Guarantors were given the option to purchase work exhibited at pre-arranged prices.
The first exhibition was held in 1926 at the Leicester Galleries, London, with subsequent exhibitions at the Cooling Galleries, London. Although the Association survived for only eight years – it was dissolved at the end of 1933 – many artists benefited from membership during its short existence. These included Ivon Hitchens, Henry Moore, William Roberts and Paul Nash and, a number of artists had their first solo exhibitions with the Association. These included William Coldstream, Claude Rogers and arguably the most famous, Victor Pasmore, who in 1932 held his first solo exhibition at the Association’s Bond Street Gallery. Fred Mayor (later to run the eponymous Mayor Gallery) managed the LAA during its early years.
