Alan Davie

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James Alan Davie (born September 28, 1920 in Grangemouth , Scotland , † April 5, 2014 in Hertford , England ) was a Scottish painter and musician . He is one of the most important representatives of abstract painting after the Second World War .

life and work

Alan Davie studied at the College of Art in Edinburgh from 1937 to 1941 . There he learned painting and the craft of the silversmith . Davie was very versatile: in addition to his painting, Davie played some instruments, especially the saxophone . Enthusiastic about jazz music, he was a saxophonist in the jazz band "Cam Robbie" for some time . He also wrote poetry during his military service .

After the end of the Second World War, he returned to London in 1946 . Influenced by the art of Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso , Davie begins to paint abstractly . In the same year he married the artist Janet Gaul . Until 1947 he only devoted himself to jazz music and did not paint at all during this time.

In 1948 he went on study trips through Europe and met Peggy Guggenheim in Venice . This encounter brings Davie to his first approach to the early works of American Abstract Expressionism . Davie was inspired by this, and especially by Jackson Pollock's work , and began to work again as a painter. One of his first paintings from this period is bought by Peggy Guggenheim.

In 1950 Alan Davie had his first solo exhibition in London. In 1956 he traveled to New York, in the same year he received the Prix ​​Guggenheim at the Musee d'Arte Moderne in Paris . His art receives international recognition and attention. In 1958 he was represented at the Venice Biennale , in 1959 he was a participant in documenta II in Kassel , as well as in other documentas : in 1964 at documenta III and in 1977 at documenta 6 .

In 1959 Davie became a teacher at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. Between 1963 and 1970 he experimented with lithographs .

In the seventies, Davie made a lot of music again, initially with percussionists Frank Perry and Evan Parker (with Perry the album Suite for Prepared Piano and Mini Drums was created ). He recorded a record as The Alan Davie Music Workshop in 1974 as a duo with Tony Oxley . During this time he gives numerous concerts. The multi-instrumentalist (piano, cello, saxophone, vibraphone, etc.) has also made music with Barry Guy , Daniel Humair , Phil Minton and others.

In 1972 he was named Commander of the British Empire .

Alan Davie's art is characterized by improvisation and spontaneity . His works are part of the collections of museums and galleries around the world. Alan Davie lived and worked after many years in London, most recently in Hertford and in the county of Cornwall .

Works in museums and collections

(Selection)

Important exhibitions

(Selection)

  • 1958: 29th Venice Biennale
  • 1959: documenta 2 Kassel
  • 1964: documenta 3 Kassel
  • 1977: documenta 6 Kassel
  • 2002: An Leabhar Mor Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow / Blast to Freeze Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg / Inaugurazione Trevi Flash Art Museum
  • 2003: Alan Davie - Recent Paintings Gimpel Fils, London / Alan Davie - Recent Paintings and Gouaches James Hyman Fine Art, London / An Leabhar Mor City Art Center, Edinburgh / An Leabhar Mor Smithsonian Institution, Washington
  • 2004: Line and Color James Hyman Fine Art, London / The Challenge of Post-War Painting James Hyman Fine Art, London
  • 2005: Alan Davie / Andrew Lewis Gimpel Fils, London / The Print Show Kettle's Yard, Cambridge / An Leabhar Mor Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork
  • 2006: 60th Anniversary Show Gimpel Fils, London

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Davie, Alan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Davie, James Alan (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Scottish painter and musician
DATE OF BIRTH September 28, 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH Grangemouth , Scotland
DATE OF DEATH 5th April 2014
Place of death Hertford , England