Alan Davie's Mystic Visions: A Retrospective of the Scottish Beatnik Painter
Alan Davie, an 87-year-old painter originally from Scotland, stands out as a significant British artist and beatnik, known for his white beard and talent in jazz. His exhibition features artwork spanning from the 1960s to 2003, including early pieces inspired by Jackson Pollock, Adolf Gottlieb, and Carl Jung's archetypes. With the backing of Peggy Guggenheim, Davie rose to fame in the 1950s, and in 1956, the Museum of Modern Art acquired his work, though shifting artistic preferences later led to his decline in visibility. Notable works include 'Turtles Vision No.2' (1967), which showcases calligraphic forms atop vibrant shapes, and later pieces like 'Iniciacion Sexual' and 'Indigenas Blind Reader' (1988), which merge visual and textual elements.
Key facts
- Alan Davie is a Scottish-born painter turning 87 this year.
- He is considered one of Britain's most significant living artists and a famous beatnik.
- Davie gained recognition in 1950s New York with support from Peggy Guggenheim.
- The Museum of Modern Art acquired his work in 1956.
- His early work connects to Jackson Pollock's abstractions and Adolf Gottlieb's grid paintings.
- Davie's art is influenced by Carl Jung's concepts of archetypes.
- He incorporates hand-painted text in multiple languages in paintings from the 1970s onward.
- Later works like 'Little Island Phantasy No.2' (1998) feature representational imagery.
Entities
Artists
- Alan Davie
- Jackson Pollock
- Adolf Gottlieb
- Carl Jung
Institutions
- Museum of Modern Art
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Scotland
- United Kingdom