Quote:Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) was one of the most radical British artists of the twentieth century. First coming to international prominence with his remarkable 'white reliefs' of the 1930s, he formed links with Picasso, Braque, Mondrian and other members of the European avant-garde. A pioneer of abstract art in Britain, he nevertheless continued to pursue landscape and still-life forms throughout his career. In all his work he sought to convey a sense of something vital and alive. Central to the establishment of a modernist art community in St Ives, together with his second wife, the sculptor Barbara Hepworth, Nicholson's importance to the development of a modern art practice in Britain cannot be overstated. Virginia Button's engaging, fully- illustrated survey is the perfect introduction to Nicholson's 60-year career, providing new insight into the techniques and motivations of one the most significant artists of the twentieth century. Virginia Button is a writer and curator based in Cornwall, and author of Christopher Wood and The Turner Prize.