Theo Mendez 1934-1997

Theo Mendez was a London-born abstract painter and textile designer who studied and later taught at Camberwell College of Arts. His early career included exhibitions at the Redfern Gallery and shows of his textile designs at the V&A. His abstract work—a lively blend of oil, acrylic, and collage—reflects his roots in both fine art and design, offering an approach to abstraction that feels fun, spontaneous, and far from stiff.

Mendez's teaching career brought him into contact with many notable artists—his Camberwell contemporaries included Terry Frost, Howard Hodgkin, Euan Uglow, and Gillian Ayres. His paintings were included alongside figures like David Hockney, Patrick Heron, and Roger Hilton in exhibitions at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, reinforcing his place within the mainstream of British modernism. Throughout the 1950s to 1980s, he continued to explore abstraction rooted in experience—urban landscapes, Parisian café scenes, tango rhythms—always maintaining a sense of playful inventiveness and painterly freedom.

Mendez’s work is held in public collections such as the Museum of London, which houses his gouaches of the Pool of London, and the University of Southampton. Today, his abstract paintings are recognised for their energy, visual value, and accessibility. For collectors seeking joyful, expressive works of twentieth-century British abstraction, Theo Mendez offers a rewarding path.