ALAN DAVIE Magic Windmill
A selection of oils on board executed between 1994 and 2011
...when I am working, I am aware of striving, a yearning, the making of many impossible attempts at a kind of transmutation – a searching for a formula for the magical conjuring of the unknowable. Many times the end seems just within reach, only to fly to pieces before me as I reach for it... Alan Davie
This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alan Davie (28 September 1920, Grangemouth, Scotland - 5 April 2014, Hertfordshire, England) one of Britain's most internationally acclaimed artists of the post-war era. Distinguished by spontaneity, exuberant colour and improvisation, Davie's work has been shown frequently and with great success for over 70 years. 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 interests, such as 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. At the recommendation of Peggy Guggenheim, which he had met in Venice in 1948, Alan Davie held his first one-man exhibition in London in 1950 at Gimpel Fils, where he was subsequently showing until his passing. His work can be found in the most eminent private and public collections around the world. In 2017 Alan Wheatley Art was appointed sole representative of the Estate of Alan Davie. This new exciting online exhibition provides the opportunity to view previously unseen small oils on board executed between 1994 and 2011.
June 2020
1 Cosmographic Structures No.24 1994 Oil on board 31 x 38 cm / 12 Âź x 15 inches Opus O.1241A
2 Shaman’s Meeting 1994 Oil on board 30.5 x 38 cm / 12 x 15 inches Opus O.1262
3 The Alligator Mystery No.2 1994 Oil on board 33 x 43.5 cm / 13 x 17 inches Opus O.1269
4 Topical Harbon 1994 Oil on board 37.5 x 31 cm / 14 ¾ x 12 ¼ inches Opus O.1300
5 Don’t Think Just Blow 1994 Oil on board 37.5 x 31 cm / 14 ¾ x 12 ¼ inches Opus O.1307
6 Om Eyes No.2 1994 Oil on board 37 x 29.5 cm / 14 ½ x 11 ½ inches Opus O.1308
7 Checkered Mask 1998 Oil on board 37.5 x 30 cm / 14 ¾ x 11 ¾ inches Opus O.1415
8 Magic Windmill 1999 Oil on board 30 x 37.5 cm / 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ inches Opus O.1439
9 Magic Glass 2000 Oil on board 27 x 30 cm / 10 ¾ x 11 ¾ inches Opus O.1560
10 Lure for Demons 2004 Oil on board 30.5 x 25.5 cm / 12 x 10 inches Opus O.1686
11 3 Times 4 Z 2006 Oil on board 35.5 x 30.5 cm / 14 x 12 inches Opus O.1826
12 Blue Hooker 2006 Oil on board 30.5 x 35.5 cm / 12 x 14 inches Opus O.1828
13 Beyond Recognition 2006 Oil on board 35.5 x 30.5 cm / 14 x 12 inches Opus O.1845
14 Venus Triste 2006 Oil on board 30.5 x 35.5 cm / 12 x 14 inches Opus O.1853
15 Floral Tribute 2007 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.1904A
16 Build Me a Trophy 2007 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.1912
17 Magic Fruit 2008 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm / 14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.1939
18 To Partake of the Nature of Talismans 2008 Oil on board 37 x 30.5 cm / 14 ½ x 12 inches Opus O.1941
19 Stay Please (Floral) 2008 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.1950
20 Inner Sanctum 2008 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.1976
21 Flower Pointer 2008 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.2000
22 Baldachin 2008 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm / 14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.2004
23 Sky Flowering 2008 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm / 14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.2015
24 Fetish 342 2008 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm /14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.2021
25 A Method of Divination with Numbers 2008 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm / 14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.2027
26 Cathedral 2008 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm / 14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.2031A
27 Red Hooker 2008 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.2037
28 Orale 2009 Oil on board 40.5 x 35.5 cm / 16 x 14 inches Opus O.2070
29 Flower Bender 2009 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.2099A
30 Please Don’t Sop Now 2009 Oil on board 25.5 x 40.5 cm / 10 x 16 inches Opus O.2131
31 Blow Away Blossoms 2009 Oil on board 25.5 x 45.5 cm / 10 x 16 inches Opus O.2993
32 A Wheel for ‘M’ 2009 Oil on board 32 x 37 cm / 12 ½ x 14 ½ inches Opus O.2070A
33 Floral Dance 2009 Oil on board 25.5 x 40.5 cm / 10 x 16 inches Opus O.2982
34 Randy 2010 Oil on board 25.5 x 30.5 cm / 10 x 12 inches Opus O.2218
35 The Force of the Moon 2010 Oil on board 25.5 x 30.5 cm / 10 x 12 inches Opus O.2266
36 Saint Zeno 2010 Oil on board 25.5 x 25.5 cm / 10 x 10 inches Opus O.2122
37 Crossing Ribbons 2010 Oil on board 35.5 x 40.5 cm / 14 x 16 inches Opus O.2450
38 Blue Egg 2010 Oil on board 40.5 x 35.5 cm / 16 x 14 inches Opus O.2505
39 Hoist the Pendant for the Blue Moon 2010 Oil on board 40.5 x 35.5 cm / 16 x 14 inches Opus O.2506
40 The Red Door 2011 Oil on board 37 x 32 cm / 14 ½ x 12 ½ inches Opus O.2273
LIST OF WORKS 1. Cosmographic Structures No.24 2. Shaman’s Meeting 3. The Alligator Mystery No.2 4. Topical Harbon 5. Don’t Think Just Blow 6. Om Eyes No.2 7. Checkered Mask 8. Magic Windmill 9. Magic Glass 10. Lure for Demons 11. 3 Times 4 Z 12. Blue Hooker 13. Beyond Recognition 14. Venus Triste 15. Floral Tribute 16. Build Me a Trophy 17. Magic Fruit 18. To Partake of the Nature of Talismans 19. Stay Please (Floral) 20. Inner Sanctum 21. Flower Pointer 22. Baldachin 23. Sky Flowering 24. Fetish 342 25. A Method of Divination with Numbers 26. Cathedral 27. Red Hooker 28. Orale 29. Flower Bender 30. Please Don’t Sop Now 31. Blow Away Blossoms 32. A Wheel for ‘M’ 33. Floral Dance 34. Randy 35. The Force of the Moon 36. Saint Zeno 37. Crossing Ribbons 38. Blue Egg 39. Hoist the Pendant for the Blue Moon 40. The Red Door
1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1998 1999 2000 2004 2006 2006 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011
31 x 38 cm 30.5 x 38 cm 33 x 43.5 cm 37.5 x 31 cm 37.5 x 31 cm 37 x 29.5 cm 37.5 x 30 cm 30 x 37.5 cm 27 x 30 cm 30.5 x 25.5 cm 35.5 x 30.5 cm 30.5 x 35.5 cm 35.5 x 30.5 cm 30.5 x 35.5 cm 32 x 37 cm 32 x 37 cm 37 x 32 cm 37 x 30.5 cm 32 x 37 cm 32 x 37 cm 32 x 37 cm 37 x 32 cm 37 x 32 cm 37 x 32 cm 37 x 32 cm 37 x 32 cm 32 x 37 cm 40.5 x 35.5 cm 32 x 37 cm 25.5 x 40.5 cm 25.5 x 45.5 cm 32 x 37 cm 25.5 x 40.5 cm 25.5 x 30.5 cm 25.5 x 30.5 cm 25.5 x 25.5 cm 35.5 x 40.5 cm 40.5 x 35.5 cm 40.5 x 35.5 cm 37 x 32 cm
Opus O.1241A Opus O.1262 Opus O.1269 Opus O.1300 Opus O.1307 Opus O.1308 Opus O.1415 Opus O.1439 Opus O.1560 Opus O.1686 Opus O.1826 Opus O.1828 Opus O.1845 Opus O.1853 Opus O.1904A Opus O.1912 Opus O.1939 Opus O.1941 Opus O.1950 Opus O.1976 Opus O.2000 Opus O.2004 Opus O.2015 Opus O.2021 Opus O.2027 Opus O.2031A Opus O.2037 Opus O.2070 Opus O.2099A Opus O.2131 Opus O.2993 Opus O.2070A Opus O.2982 Opus O.2218 Opus O.2266 Opus O.2122 Opus O.2450 Opus O.2505 Opus O.2506 Opus O.2273
To accompany online exhibition Alan Davie: Magic Windmill. A selection of oils on board executed between 1994 and 2011, from 1 June 2020 © ALAN WHEATLEY ART, 22 Mason’s Yard, Duke Street St. James’s, London SW1Y 6BU, www.alanwheatleyart.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without first seeking the written permission of the copyright holders.
Artworks © The Estate of Alan Davie Research and catalogue design by Iwona Chrościelewska
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