The Seven And Five Society 1920-1935

With exhibitions spanning from 1920, date of the formation of the society, to 1935, when their last exhibition was held at Zwemmer's Gallery, The Seven and Five Society included a total of eighty-seven artists in its fourteen exhibitions, which would go on to shape British Art for decades to come. 

Ivon Hitchens and Leon Underwood - both featured in the exhibition - were two of the original eighteen founding members. Ben and Winifred Nicholson joined in 1925 followed by artists such as Christopher Wood, Alfred Wallis, Cedric Morris, William Staite Murray and Frances Hodgkins. Edward Bawden was also a member, while John Piper joined in 1934.  In the 1930s, sculpture became a significant feature of the society's output for the first time with sculptors such as Maurice Lambert, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and John Skeaping joining the group.  

The fifteen fertile years of the society existence was a period of great creativity focused around Ben and Winifred Nicholson, which culminated in the British naïve style. There was no doubt that The Seven and Five Society was the most exciting group in Britain of its day; it was during their highly creative period as members of the society that Ben Nicholson and some of his immediate group began their artistic journey from abstraction to minimalism, and consequently went on to become household names.