Alan Davie
September 2004
Widely known for his turbulent, mesmeric paintings full of bold riotous colour, Davie's style has been described as wild, exuberant and free, with his images 'cascading into his mind as if he could not capture them with sufficient haste'. (1)
In 1965 Davie worked in a series of lithographs at the studios of Matthieu in Zurich. He began with the intention of making three prints, each with five plates and 'discovered that he could permutate them endlessly with unexpected outcome'. (2)
The result was the suite of thirty-four lithographs, Zurich Improvisations. The studio which usually produced weather charts for the Swiss Government, suddenly came alive under Davie's effervescent spirit. The bemused Matthieu printers would watch Davie disappear(ing) for a day at a time into his small cubicle, producing maybe a deeply chalked stone for their expert hands. It was his speed and activity that first caught them by surprise. Language difficulties were swept aside as he moved from one press to the next, delighted with the qualities of superimposed inks…As the proof taking continued, Davie began to mix the first colours and then the plates themselves, achieving a fantastic web of starting proofs that spread around the studios, as assistants moved frantically to turn his programmes to fact. (3)
Davie has been painting since he was sixteen years old and has had a varied career which has included writing poetry, making and selling jewellery and playing tenor saxophone with a jazz band. In 1948, he made his first visit to Zurich where he saw the work of Hans Arp and Max Ernst. The same year he travelled to Venice and experienced the works of Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell and Jackson Pollock in Peggy Guggenheim's collection. As one of the first exponents of 'action' painting or 'tachism' (gestural mark-making) in Britain, Davie's interest soon transcended the work of American Abstract Expressionists as he came under the influence of Buddhism and oriental mysticism. Augmented by his interests in primitive art and cultures, Davie's work, whilst appearing 'decorative, emotional and ritualistic' (4), can also be interpreted through his interests in jazz. For example, 'improvisation' could be understood as both a musical term and accidental marks on a canvas.
1. Entry on Alan Davie by Carrie Maurice, ed. Joann Cerrito, Contemporary Artists, (Detroit, 1996), p. 290
2. Pat Gilmour, Modern Prints, (London, 1970), p 68
3. Peter Corwall-Jones, 'Notes on the Modification of a Concept', Zurich Improvisations (Gimpel Fils, London. May - June 1965)
4. Bryan Robertson, Alan Davie, Paintings and Drawings 1953-1958 (Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. June - August 1958), p. 3
In 1965 Davie worked in a series of lithographs at the studios of Matthieu in Zurich. He began with the intention of making three prints, each with five plates and 'discovered that he could permutate them endlessly with unexpected outcome'. (2)
The result was the suite of thirty-four lithographs, Zurich Improvisations. The studio which usually produced weather charts for the Swiss Government, suddenly came alive under Davie's effervescent spirit. The bemused Matthieu printers would watch Davie disappear(ing) for a day at a time into his small cubicle, producing maybe a deeply chalked stone for their expert hands. It was his speed and activity that first caught them by surprise. Language difficulties were swept aside as he moved from one press to the next, delighted with the qualities of superimposed inks…As the proof taking continued, Davie began to mix the first colours and then the plates themselves, achieving a fantastic web of starting proofs that spread around the studios, as assistants moved frantically to turn his programmes to fact. (3)
Davie has been painting since he was sixteen years old and has had a varied career which has included writing poetry, making and selling jewellery and playing tenor saxophone with a jazz band. In 1948, he made his first visit to Zurich where he saw the work of Hans Arp and Max Ernst. The same year he travelled to Venice and experienced the works of Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell and Jackson Pollock in Peggy Guggenheim's collection. As one of the first exponents of 'action' painting or 'tachism' (gestural mark-making) in Britain, Davie's interest soon transcended the work of American Abstract Expressionists as he came under the influence of Buddhism and oriental mysticism. Augmented by his interests in primitive art and cultures, Davie's work, whilst appearing 'decorative, emotional and ritualistic' (4), can also be interpreted through his interests in jazz. For example, 'improvisation' could be understood as both a musical term and accidental marks on a canvas.
1. Entry on Alan Davie by Carrie Maurice, ed. Joann Cerrito, Contemporary Artists, (Detroit, 1996), p. 290
2. Pat Gilmour, Modern Prints, (London, 1970), p 68
3. Peter Corwall-Jones, 'Notes on the Modification of a Concept', Zurich Improvisations (Gimpel Fils, London. May - June 1965)
4. Bryan Robertson, Alan Davie, Paintings and Drawings 1953-1958 (Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. June - August 1958), p. 3
Jennifer Ramkalawon