He was born in London in 1928.
He studied at the St. Martin's School of Art and at the Royal College of Art. He won the Rome Prize in 1955. In 1958 he taught at the St. Martin's School of Art, later at the Slade School, the University College and the Kings College. Later on, he taught at the University of Durham, in Newcastle-upon Tyne.
Tilson's first one-man show was in London in 1962; in 1964 he was invited to the Venice Biennale and the British Pavilion at the Milan Triennial. In 1966 he was in New York, teaching at the School of Visual Art; in 1971 he taught at the Hamburg Hochschule.
He won first prize at the fifth Krakow Biennial in 1974. During the same year, a retrospective of his works was held at Museum Boijmans-Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. In 1976 he was invited to Milan for the exhibition staged by the British Council in the Palazzo Reale, "British Art Today”. Edizioni Pre-Art in Milan printed a major monograph on his works.In 1979 an important graphical retrospective was held at the Vancouver Art Gallery. In 1982 Edizioni d'Arte Vanessa published a monograph on him, with an essay by Gillo Dorfles for the Italian edition and one by Michael Compton for the English edition. In 1983 he participated, with Giò Pomodoro and Ipoustéguy, in the exhibit "The Materials of Works" organized in Volterra by Antonio Del Guercio. Tilson has staged other shows in Bristol (1984), Venice (1985), Ljubljana (1987) Milan and San Giovanni Valdarno (1989). In 1990 he exhibited in Cortona, in 1991 in Plymouth, Aosta and London's Waddingtum Galleries.
Tilson's works are owned by the leading galleries and museums throughout the world. He passed away in 2023.
He studied at the St. Martin's School of Art and at the Royal College of Art. He won the Rome Prize in 1955. In 1958 he taught at the St. Martin's School of Art, later at the Slade School, the University College and the Kings College. Later on, he taught at the University of Durham, in Newcastle-upon Tyne.
Tilson's first one-man show was in London in 1962; in 1964 he was invited to the Venice Biennale and the British Pavilion at the Milan Triennial. In 1966 he was in New York, teaching at the School of Visual Art; in 1971 he taught at the Hamburg Hochschule.
He won first prize at the fifth Krakow Biennial in 1974. During the same year, a retrospective of his works was held at Museum Boijmans-Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. In 1976 he was invited to Milan for the exhibition staged by the British Council in the Palazzo Reale, "British Art Today”. Edizioni Pre-Art in Milan printed a major monograph on his works.In 1979 an important graphical retrospective was held at the Vancouver Art Gallery. In 1982 Edizioni d'Arte Vanessa published a monograph on him, with an essay by Gillo Dorfles for the Italian edition and one by Michael Compton for the English edition. In 1983 he participated, with Giò Pomodoro and Ipoustéguy, in the exhibit "The Materials of Works" organized in Volterra by Antonio Del Guercio. Tilson has staged other shows in Bristol (1984), Venice (1985), Ljubljana (1987) Milan and San Giovanni Valdarno (1989). In 1990 he exhibited in Cortona, in 1991 in Plymouth, Aosta and London's Waddingtum Galleries.
Tilson's works are owned by the leading galleries and museums throughout the world. He passed away in 2023.
