London Graphic Arts began fine print publication of contemporary master printmakers in the late 1960’s, a time before fine art was commonly available to the public.
The London Arts Gallery (then located at 22 New Bond Street, London) displayed original fine print works by Old Masters like Durer and Rembrandt and modern artists such as Picasso and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
The gallery was also an important and respected showplace for many contemporary Pop artists, and was a first showplace for emerging young British and European artists.
London Fine Arts Group occupied a large portion of the third floor of the Fisher Building during the 1970s – 1990s. It was an important Detroit art gallery that introduced many new contemporary artists at openings and special events.
London Fine Arts Group acted as an internationally recognized publishing company assisting in producing limited edition art works for many internationally recognized artists including Peter Max, Yaacov Agam, Karel Appel, Arman, Romare Bearden, Gene Davis, Don Eddy, Alberto Giacometti, Ian Hornak, Lester Johnson, Alex Katz, Richard Lindner, Roberto Matta, Lowell Nesbitt, Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Sultan, Victor Vasarely and Larry Zox.
‘The London Arts Gallery was brought to international attention in 1970 when its owner went to trial on charges of corruption of public morality statutes – laws first instated in England in the 1840s. The case revolved around the first ever public exhibition of Bag One the erotic drawings of former Beatle John Lennon. John’s controversial erotic lithographs were first exhibited at London Arts Gallery at 22 New Bond Street on January 15th 1970 for the duration two weeks, but on the 2nd day – Scotland Yard and the Police raided the gallery and confiscated 8 of the 14 exhibits on the grounds that they were indecent. Following a trial before the Queen’s Magistrate the case was dismissed in a public morality trial on the grounds that entering the passage adjacent to the gallery constituted consent to view artwork on private display.
