Alan Davie: The (Wild) Eye of Wonder. Early Paintings 1945-1970

9 April - 23 May 2014

Following the critically acclaimed exhibition entitled To Uncover the Hidden Unknown, Alan Wheatley Art is delighted to announce a new exhibition of early oil paintings by one of the most influential Modern British living artists, Alan Davie.

Alan Davie, who sadly passed away on 5 April 2014 (born in 1920, Grangemouth, Scotland) is one of Britain's most internationally acclaimed artists of the post-war era. Distinguished by spontaneity, exuberant colour and improvisation, Davie's work was shown frequently and with great success for almost 70 years.

This new exciting exhibition at Alan Wheatley Art features a selection of 25 early oil paintings and it provides the opportunity to view previously unseen significant early works by the artist.

The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated major new publication with essays by Douglas Hall and Dr Michael Tucker.

Like his heroes, Paul Klee, Jackson Pollock and Joan Miró, Alan Davie drew inspiration for his paintings from music, jazz in particular, and was himself an accomplished player of several instruments. A multi-faceted creative spirit, Davie was also absorbed by a wide range of interest, which includes the teachings of Zen philosophy and oriental mysticism, primitive art, modern music, underwater swimming and gliding.

Although Davie’s roots were in Scottish painting, and close to the warmth and vivacity of modern French art, Davie created his own unique artistic language, related to the diversity of his interests. His work contains strong symbolic elements associated with the very beginnings of art where shapes and signs carried great significance.

Davis’ first one-man show was held in 1946 at Grant's Bookshop in Edinburgh. In 1950 Davie held his first one-man London exhibition at Gimpel Fils, where he was showing regularly.

His work can be found in the most eminent private and public collections around the world.

Related Articles

Robin Greenwood, Alan Davie: Space and Spontaneity
The Telegraph, The Artist that Time Forgot by Mark Hudson
Apollo Magazine, Remembering Alan Davie
The Telegraph, Colin Gleadell, Art Sales: Betting on the Tate touch for Alan Davie

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