Adrian Henri

Adrian Henri (1932-2000) was a much-loved figure in the world of performance poetry, fine art and beyond. Born in Birkenhead, Henri grew up in Rhyl, Wales, during the war years and trained as a painter at King's College, Newcastle where he was influenced by the abstract expressionists and the then newly-emergent pop artists. Painting would always remain a huge part of his life, influencing his writing and running alongside it. He first came to prominence as a poet as part of the Liverpool scene in the 1960s appearing alongside Roger McGough and Brian Patten in the groundbreaking anthology Penguin Modern Poets 10, more famously known as The Mersey Sound. Always a hugely energetic man, the success of The Mersey Sound marked the start of a frenetic period of activity for Henri as he took part in performances around the country and the globe and even formed a poetry band, The Liverpool Scene. Meanwhile he continued to produce his art, winning a major prize for his painting in the John Moores competition in 1972. His other books included Collected Poems, 1967-85 (Allison & Busby, 1986), Wish You Were Here (Jonathan Cape, 1990) and Not Fade Away (Bloodaxe Books, 1994).