THE ARTISTS OF ST IVES 3 - 30 July 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22 Mason’s Yard T: +44 (0)20 7930 1262
Duke Street St. James’s F: +44 (0)20 7839 8043
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The Artists of St Ives
During the 1950s, a group of painters gathered around the Cornish harbour town of St Ives, among which were some of the leading modern artists of their time. They represented Britain's contribution to an international search for an art that respected modernism's abstract values and was suited to the post-war world. Alan Davie, Terry Frost, Patrick Heron, Roger Hilton, Peter Lanyon, William Scott and Bryan Wynter explored the sensitive zone between representation and abstraction: testing the expressive potential of the material of paint itself, and of the mark and gesture, while retaining semblances of subject matter, external references or imagery. Similar explorations and experiments were being conducted elsewhere by a host of artists including Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko in the US, Jean Dubuffet in France and Alberto Burri in Italy. A defining characteristic of post-war St Ives art is that it had a direct link to the utopian ideals of the international modern movement of the 1930s. The whole St Ives phenomenon had been started by the migration there, at the beginning of the war, of Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo. Gabo's sculpture Spiral Theme influenced a number of painters and the presence of these veterans of the pre-war international modern movement shaped the thinking of the artists of 1950s St Ives. The history of St Ives can be written as an account of the many artists and their associates who came and went in that small town and its surrounding country: who knew whom, who drank where, who showed at this gallery or that. Otherwise it can be based on judgments of quality and relevance in relation to the best art of its time. For a long time, such was the power of one historical account that it was difficult to position British – or, even mainland European – art alongside American art without inviting predictable assumptions and accusations of influence. Patrick Heron was one of the first to identify the "cultural imperialism" of American critics' accounts of art history after the Second World War. It is unfortunate that his critical values were so close to the same formalism that came to dominate accounts of the abstract expressionism that he could only argue his case through rather ambitious claims for British artists' precedence over the Americans. Artists such as Peter Lanyon, Patrick Heron and Roger Hilton are not important simply because their work relates formally to international contemporaries; nor because they retained an allegiance to subject matter. Artists who chose to live and make art in St Ives, and their art drew in some way on their environment, is not irrelevant to this international view of post-war art. That allegiance is part of their international significance. The art made in Cornwall in the 1950s was specific to that place and time, and was an important part of longer and wider artistic developments to which that place was itself significant. Ironically, however, the most internationally prominent work of St Ives art was by a sculptor of the older generation. In the early 1960s, Barbara Hepworth had returned to some of her earlier ideas. She realised that the ideals of the 1930s still had value. Hepworth returned to her totemic Single Form idea for a monument to Dag HammarskjÜld, secretary general at the United Nations, to stand outside the UN's Manhattan headquarters. The UN was an organisation that better embodied the success of Hepworth's youthful political ideals than any other. Single Form was unveiled in New York in June 1964; later that summer Peter Lanyon was killed, marking for many the end of St Ives as a centre for the production of modernist art.
Extract from an article The art of St Ives is no sideshow by Chris Stephens (The Guardian, 9 May 2014)
1 ROBERT ADAMS (British, 1917-1984) Verticals & Horizontals Bronzed steel Height 25.4 cm / 10 inches Unique Opus 64 Conceived in 1959 RA 270
Literature: Alastair GRIEVE. The Sculpture of Robert Adams, Henry Moore Foundation/Lund Humphries, London, 1992, cat.no.270, p.186.
2 ROBERT ADAMS (British, 1917-1984) Brown Wing Bronze Height 34.5 cm / 13 ½ inches Opus 378 Signed ‘ADAMS’, dated and numbered ‘6/6’ underneath Conceived in 1979 and cast in an edition of 6 RA 646
Exhibited: 1979, Gimpel Fils, London, cat.no.10. 1988, Gimpel Fils, London, cat.no.15. Literature: Alastair GRIEVE. The Sculpture of Robert Adams, Henry Moore Foundation/Lund Humphries, London, 1992, cat.no.646, ill.p.237.
3 ROBERT ADAMS (British, 1917-1984) Ovoid Variation, No.3 Bronze Height 18.5 cm / 7 ½ inches Signed ‘ADAMS’, dated and numbered ‘0’ underneath Opus 400 Conceived in 1980 and cast in an edition of 6 + 0 RA 670
Literature: Alastair GRIEVE. The Sculpture of Robert Adams, Henry Moore Foundation/Lund Humphries, London, 1992, cat.670, p.240.
4 ROBERT ADAMS (British, 1917-1984) Sphere Bronze Height 8.5 cm / 3 3/8 inches Signed ‘ADAMS’, dated and numbered ‘000’ underneath Conceived in 1980 and cast in an edition of 6 + 0 RA680
Exhibited: 1988, Gimpel Fils, London, cat.no.36. Literature: Alastair GRIEVE. The Sculpture of Robert Adams, Henry Moore Foundation/Lund Humphries, London, 1992, cat.680, p.240, ill.p.141 & 241.
5 ALAN DAVIE (British, 1920-2014) It’s a Fine Day, Let’s Go Fishing 1958 Oil on paper 45.5 x 58.5 cm / 17 ¾ x 23 inches Signed and dated Opus OG32F
Provenance: Gimpel Fils, London. Private collection, UK.
6 ALAN DAVIE (British, 1920-2014) Red’s Flutter 1959 Oil on paper 42 x 53.5 cm / 16 ½ x 21 inches Signed and dated lower right; also signed, titled, dated and inscribed ‘Opus 37F’ verso
Provenance: The Artist. Private collection, UK.
7 ALAN DAVIE (British, 1920-2014) Animal Migration 1967 Oil on canvas 51 x 61 cm / 21 x 24 inches Opus OG370C
Provenance: Gimpel Fils, London. Private collection, UK.
8 PAUL FEILER (British, 1918-2013) Godrevy, Blue 1961 Oil on canvas 86.5 x 81.5 cm / 34 x 32 inches Signed and dated
9 PAUL FEILER (British, 1918-2013) Brown & Black Oval 1963 Oil on canvas 25.5 x 25.5 cm / 10 x 10 inches Signed and dated; also signed, titled, inscribed and dated ‘1963/65’ on the backboard
Provenance: Coughton Galleries, Market Harborough.
10 PAUL FEILER (British, 1918-2013) Grey and Umber 1963 Oil on canvas 76 x 81 cm / 30 x 32 inches Signed and dated; also signed, inscribed and dated verso
11 TERRY FROST (British, 1915-2003) Yellow Black and White 1992 Pastel on paper 32 x 23.5 cm / 14 ½ x 9 ½ inches Signed and dated
Provenance: Belgrave Gallery, St Ives.
12
PATRICK HAYMAN (British, 1915-1988) Cornish Abstract 1952 Gouache on paper 48 x 63 cm / 19 x 24 他 inches Signed; also signed and dated verso
Provenance: Belgrave Gallery, St Ives.
13 PATRICK HAYMAN (British, 1915-1988) Winter Landscape with Dragon 1986 Oil on canvas 41 x 51 cm / 16 Âź x 20 inches Signed; also signed and dated verso
Provenance: Belgrave Gallery, St Ives. Exhibited: 1986, Patrick Hayman, Blond Fine Art, London. Literature: Mel GOODING. Patrick Hayman, Visionary Artist, Belgrave Gallery, London, 2005, ill.p.88.
14 PATRICK HERON (British, 1920-1999) Blues and Dull Vermilion in Black June 1960 Oil on canvas 183 x 151.5 cm / 72 x 59 ½ inches Signed and inscribed with the title verso on the stretcher
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist. Private collection, UK. Richard Green, London. Exhibited: 1960, Patrick Heron, Waddington Galleries, London, cat.no.15, ill. 1961, Middle Roads - 4 British Abstract Painters, Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester, cat.no.14 (as Blues on Black: June 1960). 2006, Patrick Heron, The Shape of Colour, Richard Green, London, cat.no.8. Literature: Exhibition catalogue, Patrick Heron, Waddington Galleries, London, 1960, cat.no.15, ill. Exhibition catalogue, 1961, Middle Roads - 4 British Abstract Painters, Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester, 1961, cat.no.14 (as Blues on Black: June 1960). Exhibition catalogue, Patrick Heron, The Shape of Colour, Richard Green, London, 2006, cat.no.8.
15 PATRICK HERON (British, 1920-1999) Blue Disk Flooding 1964 Gouache on paper 58 x 79 cm / 22 他 x 31 inches
Provenance: Kasmin Gallery, London. Waddington Galleries, London. Private collection, London. Exhibited: 1964, Patrick Heron, Waddington Galleries, London. 1968, Drawings by Eleven British Artists, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol. 2005, Patrick Heron - Gouaches from 1961, Waddington Galleries, London.
16 PATRICK HERON (British, 1920-1999) Manganese in Deep Violet January 1967 Oil on canvas 102 x 152 cm / 40 x 60 inches Signed and inscribed with the title verso
Provenance: Waddington Galleries, London. Collection of J. Walter Thompson (acquired from above in 1967). Richard Green, London. Exhibited: 1967, Patrick Heron: Recent Paintings, Waddington Galleries, London, un-numbered exhibition. 1985, Patrick Heron, Barbican Art Gallery, London, cat.no.45, ill. Literature: Exhibition catalogue, Patrick Heron, Barbican Art Gallery, London, 1985, cat.no.45, ill.
17 PATRICK HERON (British, 1920-1999) Composition [6 November 1998] 1998 Gouache on paper 20.3 x 31 cm / 8 x 12 inches
Provenance: Waddington Galleries, London.
18 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Figures - Yellow c.1951 Oil on board 61 x 32.4 cm / 24 x 12 他 inches Signed
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist. Exhibited : 1952, Galerie de France, Paris, France. 1953, Gimpel Fils, London. 1953, City of Bradford Art Gallery, Bradford. Literature: Andrew LAMBERT. Roger Hilton - The Figured Language of Thought, Thames and Hudson, London, 2007, p.72, ill.
19 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Untitled 1954 Oil on board 51 x 62 cm / 20 x 24 ½ inches
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist. Private collection, UK.
20 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Untitled c.1963 Oil and charcoal on board 23 x 45.5 cm / 9 x 18 inches
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist.
21 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Painting 1963 Oil on canvas-board 30.5 x 25.4 cm / 12 x 10 inches Signed and dated
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist.
22 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Untitled 1972 Oil and charcoal on board 122 x 122 cm / 48 x 48 inches Signed verso
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist. Exhibited: 2011, Roger Hilton, Centenary Exhibition, Going Out with a Bang, The Last Decade, Jonathan Clark & Co., London, cat.36. Literature: Adrian LEWIS. Roger Hilton, Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Aldershot, 2003. Andrew LAMBERT. Roger Hilton - The Figured Language of Thought, Thames and Hudson, London, 2007. Exhibition catalogue, Roger Hilton, Centenary Exhibition, Going Out with a Bang, The Last Decade, Jonathan Clark & Co., London, 2011, cat.36, ill.
23 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Untitled (Blue Nude) 1972 Crayon and charcoal on paper 25 x 20 cm / 9 7/8 x 8 inches
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist.
24 ROGER HILTON (British, 1911-1975) Red & Ochre 1974 Gouache and charcoal on paper 52 x 71 cm / 20 ½ x 28 inches Initialled and dated
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist.
25 PETER LANYON (British, 1918-1964) Harvey’s Pool 1954 Oil on masonite 97 x 58 cm / 38 Ÿ x 23 inches Signed; also signed inscribed and dated 'HARVEY'S POOL/Peter Lanyon/Aug: 54' verso This work is recorded as no. 418 in the Lanyon Family Archive
Provenance: Austin/Desmond Fine Art, London. Private collection, UK. Exhibited: New Art Centre, London. 1974, Paul Rice Gallery, USA.
26 PETER LANYON (British, 1918-1964) Pony 1963 Oil on canvas 122 x 91 cm / 48 x 35 他 inches Signed, inscribed and dated verso
Provenance: Gimpel Fils, London. Private collection, London. Exhibitions: 1963, Gimpel Fils, London. 1964, Peter Lanyon 1918-1964, Hanover Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland. Literature: Exhibition catalogue, J.P. HODIN. Peter Lanyon 1918-1964, Zurich, Switzerland, cat.no.11. Andrew CAUSEY. Peter Lanyon, Lund Humphries, Aldershot, 1971, p.68, cat. 196. Andrew LANYON. Peter Lanyon, Andrew Lanyon, Penzance, 1990, p.253.
27 PETER LANYON (British, 1918-1984) Near Cloud May 1963 Gouache and charcoal on paper 25.5 x 35 cm / 10 x 13 他 inches Signed and dated
Provenance: The Estate of the Artist. Gimpel Fils, London. Exhibited: 2009, Peter Lanyon, Gimpel Fils, London.
28 PETER LANYON (British, 1918-1964) Blue Wall Bounce 1964 Acrylic and gouache on paper 24.5 x 34 cm / 9 5/8 x 13 3/8 inches Signed, dated and inscribed verso
29 BEN NICHOLSON (British, 1894-1982) Striped Mug & Red 1979 Pen, ink, watercolour and oil on paper 32.4 x 27.3 cm / 12 他 x 10 他 inches Signed, titled, dated and inscribed 'lent to Norman and Jean to become their property when I pop off' verso
Provenance: The Artist. Collection of Sir Norman Reid, UK. New Art Centre, Roche Court , Salisbury. Private collection, Italy. Exhibited: New Art Centre, Salisbury.
30 WILLIAM SCOTT (British, 1913-1989) Black, Brown, Grey 1960 Oil and sand on paper laid on board 48.5 x 61.5 cm / 19 1/8 x 24 ¼ inches Signed
Provenance: Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, USA. Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, USA. Private collection, USA. Exhibited: 1962, William Scott 1952-1962, Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, USA. 1992, William Scott Memorial Exhibition, Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, USA, no.19. Literature: Exhibition catalogue (with introduction by Alan Bowness), William Scott 1952-1962, Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, USA, 1962, ill. Sarah WHITFIELD (ed.). William Scott: Catalogue Raisonné of Oil Paintings, Vol.3, Thames & Hudson, London, 2013, cat.no.451, ill.p.52.
31 BRYAN WYNTER (British, 1915-1975) Sand Traverse 1962 Oil on canvas 101.5 x 81.5 cm / 40 x 32 inches Signed, inscribed and dated verso
Exhibited: 1994, Lead and Follow the Continuity of Abstraction, Bede Gallery, Tyne and Wear. Literature: Exhibition catalogue, Lead and Follow the Continuity of Abstraction, Bede Gallery, Tyne and Wear, 1994, ill.
INDEX 1
Robert ADAMS
Verticals & Horizontals
1959
Bronzed steel
2
Robert ADAMS
Brown Wing
1979
Patinated bronze
3
Robert ADAMS
Ovoid Variation, No.3
1980
Bronze
4
Robert ADAMS
Sphere
1980
Bronze
5
Alan DAVIE
It’s a Fine Day, Let’s Go Fishing
1958
Oil on paper
6
Alan DAVIE
Red’s Flutter
1959
Oil on paper
7
Alan DAVIE
Animal Migration
1967
Oil on canvas
8
Paul FEILER
Godrevy, Blue
1961
Oil on canvas
9
Paul FEILER
Brown and Black Oval
1963
Oil on canvas
10
Paul FEILER
Grey and Umber
1963
Oil on canvas
11
Terry FROST
Yellow Black and White
1992
Pastel on card
12
Patrick HAYMAN
Cornish Abstract
1952
Gouache on paper
13
Patrick HAYMAN
Winter Landscape with Dragon
1986
Oil on canvas
14
Patrick HERON
Blues and Dull Vermilion in Black
1960
Oil on canvas
15
Patrick HERON
Blue Disc Flooding
1964
Gouache on paper
16
Patrick HERON
Manganese in Deep Violet
1967
Oil on canvas
17
Patrick HERON
Composition [6 November 1998]
1998
Gouache on paper
18
Roger HILTON
Figures - Yellow
c.1951 Oil on board
19
Roger HILTON
Untitled
1954
20
Roger HILTON
Untitled
c.1963 Oil and charcoal on board
21
Roger HILTON
Painting
1963
Oil on canvas-board
22
Roger HILTON
Untitled
1972
Oil and charcoal on board
23
Roger HILTON
Untitled (Blue Nude)
1972
Crayon and charcoal on paper
24
Roger HILTON
Red & Ochre
1974
Gouache and charcoal on paper
25
Peter LANYON
Harvey’s Pool
1954
Oil on masonite
26
Peter LANYON
Pony
1963
Oil on canvas
27
Peter LANYON
Near Cloud
1963
Gouache and charcoal on paper
28
Peter LANYON
Blue Wall Bounce
1964
Acrylic and gouache on paper
29
Ben NICHOLSON
Striped Mug & Red
1979
Pen, ink, watercolour and oil on paper
30
William SCOTT
Black, Brown, Grey
1960
Oil and sand on paper laid on board
31
Bryan WYNTER
Sand Traverse
1962
Oil on canvas
Oil on board
TERRY FROST (British, 1915-2003) Suspended Forms on Yellow 1973 Acrylic and collage on paper 77 x 57 cm / 30 ¼ x 22 ½ inches
Front cover: Paul FEILER, Grey and Umber (cat.10)
Published to accompany the exhibition The Artists of St Ives, 3 – 30 July 2015 © ALAN WHEATLEY ART, 22 Mason’s Yard, Duke Street St. James’s, London SW1Y 6BU 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 and of the publisher.
Artworks © The Artists/ The Estates of the Artists.
Catalogue design by Iwona Chroscielewska
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22 Mason’s Yard T: +44 (0)20 7930 1262
Duke Street St. James’s F: +44 (0)20 7839 8043
London SW1Y 6BU E: contact@alanwheatleyart.com
United Kingdom W: alanwheatleyart.com