{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1069130"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1069130/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PE2630/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PE2630/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PE2630","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PD1131","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1069130","accessionNumber":"P.15-1971","objectType":"Collage","titles":[{"title":"Parcel Post","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Eileen Agar (1899-1991) was an Argentinian-born British artist. She was associated with the Surrealist movement and participated in the International Surrealist Exhibition in London in 1936 but maintained that Surrealism was only one of many influences.  This collage, produced during World War Two, consists of an accumulation of everyday packing materials such as paper, string and glue, from which a white abstract figure appears to tear free. The figure’s biomorphic shape is reminiscent of the work of Joan Miró or Yves Tanguy. In the mid-late 1930s, several of Agar’s fellow Surrealist artists in Britain had been commissioned to produce experimental films for the General Post Office (GPO) film unit, with artist-filmmakers such as Len Lye and Norman McLaren making use of biomorphic forms. The piece of string included in the composition has a fixture printed with the text ‘CERTIFIED SEED’, indicating that it was used in the packing of agricultural goods. Seen through the lens of Surrealist wordplay, this element might suggest the ‘germination’ of a new idea produced by the unexpected meeting of everyday objects common to Surrealist practice. In the context of World War Two, it also recalls the term ‘propaganda’ (derived from ‘propagate’) and the wartime bureaucracy of the postal service. ","physicalDescription":"Collage with string. Collage elements are layered on grey textured paper which retains tears of another sheet of paper which has been glued on top and then removed, creating an abstract pattern. A biomorphic figure of white-painted paper is centrally placed. Below the figure, a blind stamp can be seen on the paper resembling a flaming torch. A string used for packing has been glued to the upper right of the composition in a spiral form. Attached to the string is a red metal fixture imprinted with the text ‘CERTIFIED SEED’. Signed ‘AGAR ‘42’, lower left.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Eileen Agar","id":"A19200"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"string","id":"AAT14249"},{"text":"glue","id":"AAT14815"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"tempera","id":"AAT15062"}],"techniques":[{"text":"collage","id":"AAT138699"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Collage on grey textured paper with tempera, glue and string","categories":[{"text":"Collages","id":"THES49040"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"},{"text":"Surrealism","id":"THES285500"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2025PE2630","2025PD1131"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"WS","id":"THES49603"},"free":"","case":"63","shelf":"L","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Collages","id":"AAT33963"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1942","earliest":"1942-01-01","latest":"1942-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"32.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"23.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"AGAR '42","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Signed and dated lower left"}],"objectHistory":"This collage was shown in the exhibition ‘Britain’s Contribution to Surrealism of the 1930s and 40s’, 3-27 November 1971. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Collage, Parcel Post, by Eileen Agar, 1942.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"‘Britain’s Contribution to Surrealism of the 1930s and 40s’, London: Hamet Gallery, 3-27 November 1971."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["P.15-1971"],"accessionNumberNum":"15","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1971,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-19","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}