Joe (Joseph Charles) Tilson is born in London, in 1928. From 1949 to 1955, he attends art school in London. In 1955 he wins the Rome Prize, with which he can work in Italy during one whole year. He returns to London in 1957, followed by various teaching positions at art academies in London, New York and Hamburg.
In the 1960s, Tilson is one of the leading figures in pop art. He makes wooden reliefs and constructions as well as paintings, graphics and graphic collages. In 1961, he exhibits at the Paris Biennale. In 1962, he has his first solo exhibition in a renowned London gallery. He breaks through internationally with his presence at the Venice Biennale in 1964. Subsequently, he has a retrospective at Boymans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.
When Tilson moves to Wiltshire (Southern England) in 1972, he starts the Alchera project. Characteristic of this is the borrowing of motifs from pre-classical mythology and the use of materials such as stone, straw and rope.
Tilson has exhibited all over the world and received many prizes for his work, which can be found in many museum collections. Until his death, in November 2023, he remained active as an artist, working, as in his younger years, in his characteristic carpenter’s apron.