A "special relationship": British and American art 1945-1989

Ever since Winston Churchill’s speech in Fulton, Missouri of 1946 outlining the postwar political structure of the Western hemisphere, politicians have talked of Great Britain and the USA having a “special relationship” based not just on ideological affinities but on shared historical roots, as well as a shared language. 1 To assume, however, that their cultural and artistic attitudes in the Cold War period were consistently aligned would be a mistake. This essay examines a history of unequal cultural relations, an interplay between Britain’s need to “catch up” artistically with its former colonial possession and its desire to retain a firm grip on its own native traditions.