The Head of Invention

Aerial view of London including the river Thames and the Shard

Overview

The Head of Invention is a large and impressive sculpture of a human head lying on its side outside the Design Museum on Kensington High Street in West London.

The sculpture, created by Eduardo Paolozzi, is free to visit, and it’s an incredible sight to see. Art, design, and technology enthusiasts will all find the combination of humans and machinery interesting, and you can spend a few moments interpreting what the piece reveals about our advancements in modern technology, something that has never been more relevant.

It can be seen during a self-guided tour of West London, or before visiting the Design Museum, a free museum featuring exhibits on various types of design, including fashion, graphics, architecture, and more.

What does the sculpture look like?

The sculpture is a large man’s head lying on its left side and is made of bronze. It’s approximately 9.8 feet (3 metres) long and 6.6 feet (2 metres) high. The head is split both vertically and horizontally several times, and down these splits, you can see some Italian words from a quotation by Leonardo da Vinci.

On the back of the head, you can see various mechanical impressions, including nuts, bolts, and other machinery parts. There is a cast-iron wheel underneath the neck, and the sculpture rests on wooden railway sleepers.

On one end of the sculpture, you can read the Leonardo da Vinci quote:

“Though human genius in its various inventions with various instruments may answer the same end, it will never find an invention more beautiful or more simple or direct than nature, because in her inventions nothing is lacking and nothing is superfluous.”

History of the Head of Invention

The Head of Invention sculpture was commissioned by the founder of the Design Museum, Sir Terence Conran, to celebrate its opening in 1989. Sir Terence Conran and the sculpture’s creator, Eduardo Paolozzi, were lifelong friends and collaborators. They even lived near each other in West Kensington.

They first met when Paolozzi was teaching textile design at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where Conran was a student, and subsequently worked together on multiple projects, including sculptures for a children’s playground at a Habitat warehouse and showroom in Oxfordshire.

Paolozzi called the sculpture ‘Newton after James Watt’ as a nod to Sir Isaac Newton and James Watt, the Scottish inventor and engineer who made significant improvements to steam engine technology and played a pivotal role in driving the Industrial Revolution. However, the sculpture is more commonly known as the Head of Invention.

The Head of Invention was installed outside the first location of the Design Museum at Shad Thames before they both moved to Kensington High Street in 2016.

Other sculptures in West London

If you’re a fan of art and sculpture, you could spend a few hours discovering some of the incredible artworks around West London on a self-guided walking tour.

The nearby Kensington Gardens is home to numerous sculptures, including The Arch, Peter Pan Statue, Physical Energy, Speke Monument, and Two Bears Fountain.

The Kensington and Chelsea Art Week Trail takes place each year in late June and features around 25 sculptures and art installations. The artworks tend to remain on display beyond the event, with some staying in place through the summer.

Other artworks by Paolozzi in London

If you’re a fan of the Head of Invention, you may wish to see some of Paolozzi’s other works, and you’re in luck – you can find many of them in central London. Here’s where to find some of them:

‘Mosaics’ on Tottenham Court Road
‘Pimlico Cooling Tower’ in Pimlico
‘Piscator’ in Euston
‘Newton After Blake’ outside the British Library in King’s Cross
‘Vulcan’ in Royal Victoria
‘A Maximis Ad Minima’ at Kew Gardens station

How to get to The Head of Invention from YHA London Earl’s Court

The Head of Invention is less than a mile away from YHA London Earl’s Court. The easiest and most convenient ways to get there are by walking, cycling, or catching the bus.

On foot: It takes around 20 minutes to walk from YHA London Earl’s Court to the Head of Invention. It’s a simple walk along Earl’s Court Road until you reach Kensington High Street.

Cycling: Cycling from YHA London Earl’s Court to the Head of Invention takes approximately seven minutes. There is bike parking outside the Design Museum. If you don’t have your own bike in London, there are some Santander Cycles docking stations nearby in Phillimore Gardens and Ilchester Place.

By public transport: To get to the Head of Invention, you can catch the C1 bus to White City from Redcliffe Gardens. Alight at the Design Museum. If you’re coming from elsewhere in London, the nearest tube station to the Head of Invention is High Street Kensington.

By car: The drive from the Youth Hostel to the Head of Invention takes approximately ten minutes. Accessible Blue Badge parking spaces are available near the museum for visitors and can be booked in advance through the Design Museum website.