Skip to main content

Kent State

1970
Richard Hamilton (English, 1922–2011) Printed at Dietz Offizin, Lengmoos, Bavaria Published by Dorothea Lenohart, Munich
In 1970, Munich publisher Dorothea Leonhart invited Richard Hamilton to produce a print in a huge edition of several thousand impressions. Strongly against America's involvement in Vietnam, Hamilton decided to take advantage of the broad reach of this mass edition and chose his subject to create an indictment of the war. Kent State shows a fallen student who was wounded in the controversial 1970 altercation between the National Guard and anti-Vietnam-War demonstrators at Kent State University in Ohio. Four other students were killed in the incident. Hamilton, one of the most inventive artists to incorporate photographic imagery in his work, created this print from a still photograph taken of a television screen during a BBC broadcast of the tragic event.

Object Details

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.