Victor Pasmore BETWEEN RISK AND EQUILIBRIUM
Victor Pasmore BETWEEN RISK AND EQUILIBRIUM
Victor Pasmore with his dog Zulu at the farmhouse in Malta, 1985. Photo: Š John Pasmore
2 1 J U N E – 2 9 J U LY
Victor Pasmore BETWEEN RISK AND EQUILIBRIUM
Marlborough Fine Art 6 Albemarle Street London W1S 4BY + 44 (0)20 7629 5161 mfa@marlboroughfineart.com www.marlboroughlondon.com C O V E R The Paradox of Harmony 1988 oil on canvas on board 151.1 x 102.8 cm (59½ x 40½ in.)
Between Risk and Equilibrium F R A N C E S S PA L D I N G
There is a grandeur in Pasmore’s seductive panache. The individual elements within his art, more often than not, can be easily discerned, but the combination of them is always an unexpected gift. Take, for example, his six-foot-tall Green Development in Two Movements (1989) (catalogue no.15). A thick column of white creates an internal field, down one side of which falls an emphatic black band. Half way down it halts, and, after a short interstice, it reappears as a vertical emphasis which soon switches back into an uninterrupted vertical. The powerful falling movement this asserts is contradicted by the softly sprayed green paint which begins to appear in the lower quarter, then floats upwards and eventually spreads freely across the top of the picture, expanding beyond the white ground into the open region of the unpainted board. At a sensory level this is a marvellous exploration of freedom versus constraint, lightness versus weight. Small black circular discs and their lighter offspring, in pink, purple and pale blue, gently echo this contrast. Binding all the parts together is an inherent and fiercely balanced tension between risk and equilibrium. It is no wonder that all his life Pasmore venerated Turner, the artist who understood so well that if a painting is to bloom, risks must be taken. Pasmore first saw Turner’s late work as a young boy, when taken to the Tate Gallery (now Tate Britain) by his mother; and these seemingly abstract pictures stayed in his mind, as he recalled, as paintings that appeared to shine and project themselves into space. Of course, Turner’s name more usually comes to mind when Pasmore’s 1940s work is being discussed. Then living at 16 Hammersmith Terrace on Chiswick Mall, Pasmore boasted to William Johnstone that he had on his doorstep ‘the finest landscape in the world’, and that when the mist clothed the river it was as if he were looking at ‘the most beautiful reaches of the Nile’.1 When making this claim, he must have had in mind Whistler’s famous remark about Battersea’s factories and industrial chimneys, which, when viewed
across the river as dusk falls, are transformed into palaces and campaniles. But it is Turner, not Whistler, whose presence dominates The Quiet River: The Thames at Chiswick (1943 – 44), in the Tate Collection. It contains enough detail, such as the glimpse through the mist on the left of the picture of the island of Chiswick Eyot, to affirm the painting’s association with a specific place, but, nevertheless, some of the ingredients, such as the breakwater, which creates such a significant accent, are invented. And it is this risk-taking freedom, even more than diffusion of form and subtle gradation of colours, which makes Turner the dominant inspiration. Pasmore’s mature view on this artist was that Turner occupied a supreme place in the problem of modern pictorial representation. ‘Long before Cézanne and the Cubists,’ he insisted, ‘he [Turner] asserted the independent nature of painting as a concrete art parallel and equivalent to nature.’2
1 William Johnstone, Points in Time: An Autobiography, (London: 1980), pp.204 – 05 2 Victor Pasmore, letter to the Listener, 3 January 1952
In his own art, Pasmore’s handling of equivalence is a continuously refreshing ingredient. His Wandering Journey (1985) (catalogue no.10), in this exhibition, describes no specific terrain, yet the eye and mind, as they seek to negotiate a way through and around the nudgingly insistent dark green organic shapes, eventually find a path within the composition created by means of the flashing light from the pale background which breaks through at the edges of these forms, as they hang from or float beneath the horizon line. Where needed, this route is further articulated by a thin, white-painted line. Thus we find ourselves led through the maze of greenery by means of a journey that loops, slowly and gently, around these globular forms, swooping up or down or folding back on itself in the direction it takes, but operating always at an engagingly slow ambulatory pace. This painting effects exactly the sensation the work’s title describes, while the whole edifice appears to rest on the black stem reaching up from the base of the canvas at its central point, its presence neatly emphasised by two small coloured circles, one blue and the other red, on either side. The whole composition is wittily deft; finely calculated, but in an unself-conscious manner. Pasmore’s habit of mapping out his art so that it both leads us into and across a particular terrain recurs in this exhibition. It explains his fondness for the generous reach of the extended format, and his occasional use of the doubled square, as in Voice of the Ocean (1989) (catalogue no.16). There is also a recurrent element of teasing and fantasy. The various motivations behind these works reach back to the later 1950s, when Pasmore abandoned his earlier reliefs in order to return to painting. There may well have been complex reasons behind this move. One significant factor, however, was his growing interest in the relation between art and the environment, stimulated by his work with architects on the planning and design for the new town of Peterlee, in County Durham. This, inevitably perhaps, enhanced his interest in spatial exploration. As he helped conceive the layout of this new town in a relatively rural position, he imagined the various kinetic experiences that could be offered, through alterations in the positioning of roads, the handling of space and through variations in the shape and height of buildings. The broad palette of possibilities available in this field left him irritated with his relief constructions in man-made materials. ‘They were too limiting,’ he explained. The return to painting made possible a greater play with ambiguity and metamorphosis.
andering Journey 1985 W oil on canvas on board
It is now widely recognised that Pasmore’s creativity and imaginative fecundity owes much to his belief that a common language unites painting, sculpture and the built environment. When placed in a private room or public space, his art enters into conversation with its setting, and its personal dynamic generates a new energy. Yet, despite his persistent pursuit of rational and theoretical explanations for his art, he often employed in his work a strong intuitive approach, while structural concerns often merge with poetic associations. There are several images in this current display which call to memories of his past achievement. None more so that the four delightful drawings, made in 1985, and based on his house and garden in Malta (catalogue nos.6 – 9). By colouring the paper in part with a watercolour spray, he generates atmosphere before varying his mark-making with pencil in such a way that it both defines foliage, stones or grass yet retains sufficient stylisation so as to insist on the artifice of art, in a manner similar to that found in his drawings of Hammersmith Gardens from the late 1940s. Yet the sheer stature and legacy of this artist makes it hardly surprising that his reputation should today colour, inform and enrich our looking, while also deepening our enjoyment of his work.
B&L Alan Bowness and Luigi Lambertini, Victor Pasmore With a Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Constructions and Graphics 1926 –1979, Thames and Hudson, London, 1980
L Norbert Lynton, Victor Pasmore Paintings and graphics 1980 – 92, Lund Humphries, London, 1992
List of works
1
Blue Indigo 1972 projective relief (paint on board) 41 x 48 x 10 cm (16 x 20 x 4 in.) B&L 518
11 T he Milky Way 1987 paint on board 122 x 365.8 cm (48 x 144 in.) L 60
2
inear Image 1974 L relief (paint and gravure on board) 40.5 x 40.5 cm (16 x 16 in.) B&L 553
12 T he Cloud in the West 1987– 8 paint on board 122 x 213.4 cm (48 x 84 in.) L 63
3
lephant Blue: Blue Symphony 1976 E paint on panel 122 x 183 cm (48 x 72 in.) B&L 639
13 T he Paradox of Harmony 1988 oil on canvas on board 151.1 x 102.8 cm (59½ x 40½ in.) L 73
4
rown Symphony 1979 B (reworked) previously Development in Three Movements 1968–69 oil on board 75.5 x 211 cm (29 ¾ x 83 in.) B&L 714
14 T he River’s Edge 1988 paint on canvas on board 122 x 243.8 cm (48 x 96 in.) L 74
5
6
7
8
9
oint of Contact: Green Image 1982 P paint and gesso on canvas and panel 81.3 x 81.3 cm (32 x 32 in.) L 24 ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 21.6 x 33 cm (8½ x 13 in.) L 44 ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 22.2 x 31.4 cm (8 ¾ x 12 in.) L 45 ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 22.2 x 33 cm (8 ¾ x 13 in.) L 46 ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 21 x 29.8 cm (8¼ x 11¾ in.) L 47
10 W andering Journey 1985 oil on canvas on board 114.3 x 150.2 cm (45 x 59 in.) L 50
15 G reen Development in Two Movements 1989 oil and spray paint on board 182.9 x 122 cm (72 x 48 in.) L 78 16 V oice of the Ocean 1989 paint on plywood panel 243.8 x 122 cm (96 x 48 in.) L 83 17 T he Birth of Spring 1990 spray and paint on plywood panel 122 x 243.8 cm (48 x 96 in.) L 84 18 A Crime of Ideas, after Picasso 1989 charcoal on canvas 152.3 x 167.6 cm (60 x 66 in.) L 77 19 U ntitled 1992– 3 oil and pencil on board 122 x 59.1 cm (48 x 23¼ in.) 20 U ntitled 1993 oil, spray paint and pencil on board 122 x 243.8 cm (48 x 96 in.) 21 U ntitled 1993 oil, spray paint and pencil on board 122 x 127 cm (48 x 50 in.)
1
Blue Indigo 1972 projective relief (paint on board) 41 x 48 x 10 cm (16  x 20 x 4 in.)
2
inear Image 1974 L relief (paint and gravure on board) 40.5 x 40.5 cm (16 x 16 in.)
3
lephant Blue: Blue Symphony 1976 E paint on panel 122 x 183 cm (48 x 72 in.)
4
rown Symphony 1979 B (reworked) previously Development in Three Movements 1968–69 oil on board 75.5 x 211 cm (29 ¾ x 83 in.)
5
oint of Contact: Green Image 1982 P paint and gesso on canvas and panel 81.3 x 81.3 cm (32 x 32 in.)
6
ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 21.6 x 33 cm (8½ x 13 in.)
7
ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 22.2 x 31.4 cm (8 ¾ x 12 in.)
8
ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 22.2 x 33 cm (8 ¾ x 13 in.)
9
ntitled Landscape 1985 U ink and watercolour on paper 21 x 29.8 cm (8¼ x 11¾ in.)
10 W andering Journey 1985 oil on canvas on board 114.3 x 150.2 cm (45 x 59  in.)
11 T he Milky Way 1987 paint on board 122 x 365.8 cm (48 x 144 in.)
12 T he Cloud in the West 1987– 8 paint on board 122 x 213.4 cm (48 x 84 in.)
13 T he Paradox of Harmony 1988 oil on canvas on board 151.1 x 102.8 cm (59½ x 40½ in.)
14 T he River’s Edge 1988 paint on canvas on board 122 x 243.8 cm (48 x 96 in.)
15 G reen Development in Two Movements 1989 oil and spray paint on board 182.9 x 122 cm (72 x 48 in.)
16 V oice of the Ocean 1989 paint on plywood panel 243.8 x 122 cm (96 x 48 in.)
17 T he Birth of Spring 1990 spray and paint on plywood panel 122 x 243.8 cm (48 x 96 in.)
18 A Crime of Ideas, after Picasso 1989 charcoal on canvas 152.3 x 167.6 cm (60 x 66 in.)
19 U ntitled 1992– 3 oil and pencil on board 122 x 59.1 cm (48 x 23¼ in.)
20 U ntitled 1993 oil, spray paint and pencil on board 122 x 243.8 cm (48 x 96 in.)
21 U ntitled 1993 oil, spray paint and pencil on board 122 x 127 cm (48 x 50 in.)
Victor Pasmore (1908–1998) BIOGRAPHY
S E L E C T E D S O LO E X H I B I T I O N S
1908
2016–17 V ictor Pasmore: Towards a New Reality, Djanogly Gallery, Nottingham; travelling to Pallant House, Chichester
Born in Surrey, England
1923–26 Attends Harrow School 1949–53 Visiting teacher at Central School of Arts and Crafts 1954–61 Appointed Master of Painting, King’s College, Durham University 1955–77 Collaborates on the development of Peterlee New Town, Durham 1959
Awarded CBE
1963–6
Appointed Trustee of the Tate Gallery
1964
Awarded Carnegie Prize for painting
1966
Acquires house in Malta
2015 Victor Pasmore in Three Dimensions, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne 2011–12 V ictor Pasmore: From Constructions to Spray Paint, New Art Centre, Roche Court, Salisbury 2009 Apollo Pavilion relaunched after refurbishment 2008 Centenary Exhibition, Marlborough Fine Art, London 2004
Marlborough Fine Art, London
1969–70 Apollo Pavilion, Peterlee, Durham (now listed grade II)
1999
Marlborough Fine Art, London
1996
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill
1982
Awarded CH
1983
Elected Senior Royal Academician
1995 Marlborough Fine Art, London Retrospective, Isle of Man
1998
Dies in Malta
1992
Marlborough Fine Art, London Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria
1991
etrospective Exhibition, Serpentine R Gallery, London Veranneman Foundation, Kruishoutem, Belgium
1990 Marlborough Gallery, Tokyo Graphics Exhibition, Taormina d’ Arte 90, Sicily Retrospective Exhibition, Centre for International Contemporary Arts, New York 1988–89 Marlborough Gallery, New York Marlborough Fine Art, London 1988–89 R etrospective Exhibition, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven; Phillips Collection, Washington 1986 Graphics Exhibition, Galleria 2RC, Rome and Milan
1985
Musée des Beaux Arts, Calais
1982 Panova Gallery, Toronto Graphics Exhibition, Kasahara Gallery, Osaka Graphics Exhibition, Galleria 2RC, Rome and Milan Galerie Corinthia, Klagenfurt, Austria 1981
raphics Exhibition, Amano Gallery, G Osaka
1980
rts Council Retrospective Exhibition, A tours Britain
1978 Musée des Beaux Arts, Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland Gentofte Radhus, Copenhagen Graphics Exhibition, Galleria 2RC, Rome and Milan 1976 Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg Fabian Fine Art, Cape Town 1975
Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, Malta
1974 Galleria 2RC, Marlborough Galleria d’Arte, Rome Galerie Farber, Brussels 1973 Marlborough Galerie, Zurich Villiers Pty., Australia 1970
Malta Society of Arts, Valletta
1967 Marlborough Gerson Gallery, New York Ulster Museum, Belfast Trinity College, Dublin Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester University Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University 1965 Sao Paulo Biennal VIII, Sao Paulo Retrospective Exhibition, Tate Gallery, London Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool Galleria Lorenzelli, Milan
1964
Galleria Lorenzelli, Milan
1963–64 Tate Gallery, London 1963 Galerie Charles Lienhard, Zurich Victor Pasmore and William Scott, Kunsthalle, Berne 1962
Kestner Gesellschaft, Hanover
1960
XXX Venice Biennale and tour
1955 Retrospective Exhibition, Arts Council Gallery, Cambridge 1947
Redfern Gallery, London
1939
Wildenstein Gallery, London
1932
Cooling Gallery, London
S E L E C T E D L I T E R AT U R E Anne Goodchild, Alastair Grieve and Elena Crippa, Victor Pasmore: Towards a New Reality, Lund Humphries, London, 2016 Alastair Grieve, Victor Pasmore, Tate Publishing, London, 2010 Norbert Lynton, Victor Pasmore Paintings and Graphics 1980-92, Lund Humphries, London, 1992 Norbert Lynton, Pasmore Retrospective Exhibition Catalogue, Centre for International Contemporary Arts, New York, 1990 Alan Bowness and Luigi Lambertini, Victor Pasmore Catalogue Raisonné, Thames & Hudson, London, 1980 Ronald Alley, Victor Pasmore: Retrospective Exhibition 1925-1965, Tate Gallery, London, 1965 Clive Bell, Victor Pasmore, Penguin Books, London, 1945
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal
Museum des 20. Jarhunderts, Vienna
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums
Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Museo Tamayo, Mexico City
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth
National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum (Former), Wellington
Art Institute of Chicago
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Arts Council Collection, London
National Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
National Museum, Cardiff
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester
British Council Collection, London
Nottingham City Museum and Galleries
Bury Art Museum
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford
Royal Academy of Arts, London
Derby Museums and Art Gallery Ferens Art Gallery, Hull
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, Rome
Southampton City Art Gallery
Government Art Collection, London
Syracuse University, New York
Graves Gallery, Sheffield
Tate, London
Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University
The Hepworth, Wakefield
Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle
The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, University of Leeds
Leeds Art Gallery
The Whitworth, University of Manchester
Manchester Art Gallery
Towner, Eastbourne
Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art
Ulster Museum, Belfast
Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montreal
University of Liverpool
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux
Victor Pasmore Gallery, Valletta
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Calais
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Musée des Beaux-Arts, La Chaux-de-Fonds
Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester
Museo Tamayo, Mexico City
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
York Art Gallery
Marlborough
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Victor Pasmore Gallery, Malta www.centralbankmalta.org/ victor-pasmore-gallery www.victorpasmore.com Photography: Richard Ivey, Prudence Cuming Associates Design: Stocks Taylor Benson Print: Impress Print Services ISBN 978–1–909707–39–9 Catalogue No. 667 © 2017 Marlborough