Alan Davie

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Alan Davie
Born
James Alan Davie
NationalityScottish
Alma materEdinburgh College of Art
AwardsGuthrie Award, 1942

James Alan Davie (28 September 1920 – 5 April 2014) was a Scottish painter and musician.

Biography

Davie was born in

Salon des Artistes Français in 1925.[3] Alan Davie studied at Edinburgh College of Art from 1937 to 1941.[2][4] An early exhibition of his work came through the Society of Scottish Artists
.

After the

surrealist painters such as Miró, and he was also fascinated by the work of psychoanalyst Carl Jung.[7]
: 32 

Like Pollock, many of Davie's works were executed by standing above the painting, which was laid on the ground.

shaman,[6]
and remarked upon how disparate cultures have adopted common symbols in their visual languages.

In addition to painting, whether on canvas or paper (he has stated that he prefers to work on paper), Davie produced several screenprints. He found a public for his work on the continent and in America some time before the British art public could reconcile itself to his mixture of ancient and newly invented symbols. In his lectures Davie stressed the importance of improvisation as his chosen method. His stance was that of an inspired soothsayer resisting the inroads of rational civilization.[9]

Musically, Davie also played piano, cello and bass clarinet. In the early 1970s his interest in free improvisation led to a close association with the percussionist Tony Oxley. His paintings have also inspired music by others, notably the bassist and composer Barry Guy.[10][11]

Davie designed the jacket for R.W. Feachem's book Prehistoric Scotland, published by Batsford in 1963. The design was based upon motifs found on Pictish symbol stones. He died aged 93 in Hertfordshire, England on 5 April 2014.[12][13]

On 29 October 1947, in Edinburgh, Davie married Janet Gaul, a potter, artist, and designer. Together they had one child, a daughter, Jane, born in 1949.[2]

Art collections

Art collections and museums owning work by Alan Davie include the

Harvard University Art Museums, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, The Priseman Seabrook Collection, San Diego Museum of Art, Southampton City Art Gallery, The Hepworth Wakefield and Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum
.

Portraits of Alan Davie

A photographic portrait exists in both the

National Galleries of Scotland.[16]

Discography

References

  1. ^ a b "Davie, Alan". FMP/Free Music Production. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8
    , retrieved 12 September 2021
  3. ISBN 9780199923052
    . Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  4. ^ Livingstone, Cheryl (16 June 2010). "New exhibition celebrates Grangemouth artist". Falkirk Herald. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  5. ^ Gilchrist, Jim (23 April 2008). "Leader of the band". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-1-884446-05-4
    . Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  7. ^
    ISBN 9781912147915
    .
  8. ^ a b "Past Exhibitions: Alan Davie: Jingling Space". Tate St Ives. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  9. ^ Lynton, Norbert (1983). The Story of Modern Art. Prentice Hall.
  10. ^ "Barry Guy". British Composers Project. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  11. ^ "Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra with Barry Guy: Falkirk" (PDF). FMR Records. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  12. ^ "Alan Davie, Scottish artist, has died aged 93". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  13. ^ Weber, Bruce (16 April 2014). "Alan Davie, Painter With a Global Bent, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Portrait - Alan Davie". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Gimpel Fils - London". www.gimpelfils.com. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  16. ^ "John Bellany, b. 1942. Artist (Self-portrait) (with Alan Davie, b. 1920)". National Galleries of Scotland. Retrieved 1 July 2017.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alan_Davie&oldid=1205621168"