Alan Davie at 90

An exhibition of recent works

26th June – 16th October 2010 at the Park Gallery, Callendar House, Falkirk

As a celebration of Alan Davie’s life and work and in honourof his 90th birthday, Falkirk Council presents Alan Davie at 90, an exhibition highlighting his recent paintings. This exhibition heralds the Park Gallery’s move to Callendar House, Falkirk and opens on Saturday 26th June 2010.

Alan Davie was born in Grangemouth in 1920. He is recognised as a major figure in 20th century art and considered to be one of Scotland’s greatest living artists. Painter, printmaker, musician and poet, his career has spanned over 60 years with collaboration and experimentation at the very heart of it.

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to celebrate this extraordinary artist. Alan Davie at 90 featuresworks made in the last five years and demonstrates Davies unwavering commitment to painting. Some of this work has never been seen in Scotland before and the quality of paintings on display is impressive, so vibrant and colourful. His work is all around the world from MOMA in New York to the London Tate Gallery and now it is on our doorstep. I urge everyone to take the opportunity to come and see it and to take part in the programme of activities that have been inspired by the exhibition."

Gillian Smith, Arts Development Officer

Alan Davie studied at Edinburgh College of Art in the late ‘30s and, after military service, earned a living by teaching and making jewellery. He was also a professional jazz musician and music continues to be important to him today. From 1947-9 he travelled throughout Europe on a travelling scholarship, meeting Peggy Guggenheim in Venice. His early work shows an affinity with European Surrealist artists and the American Abstract Expressionists (such as Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse,Jackson Pollock and Joan Miro)but he began to develop a deeply personal language based on his interests in primitive art and culture, mysticism and religion as well as his activities in music, gliding and diving.

Alan Davie’s artwork can be found in numerous international public collections including Tate Collection, London; The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam; and Museu de Arte Contemporanea, São Paulo.

Ends

theparkgallery- Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk, FK1 1YR

Admission is free. Opening Hours: Mon - Sat 10am -5pm / Sunday 2pm - 5pm

www.falkirk.gov.uk/alandavieat90

Related events: To book tickets for any of these events or workshops call 01324 506850 or visit The Steeple Box Office, High Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NW.

Talks

The Grangemouth Mural with Dugald McInnes

Sat 24 July, 11am - 12pm

Callendar House

FREE

In 1975, artist, writer and poet, George Garson (1930-2010) was commissioned (by BP and the Scottish Arts Council) with Alan Davie to produce a mural in Grangemouth. Davie designed the mural and Garson created it in mosaic. In this talk, artist Dugald McInnes recounts the background to the mural, Davie’s early life in Grangemouth and his continuing influence.

Alan Davie – Printmaker with Kip Gresham

Wed 8 Sept, 10.15am

Callendar House

£4.50 (incl. tea/coffee & cake)

Kip Gresham (The Print Studio, Cambridge) has worked closely with Alan Davie over many years, providing the technical expertise required to realise Davies’s ideas and images in print. In this illustrated talk, Gresham will give a personal account of working with Davie and of the artist’s approach to his practice.

Workshop – Introduction to Mosaic Workshop

A practical introduction to the techniques and applications of mosaic, led by Dugald McInnes.

Sat 31 July 2010, 10.00am – 4.00pm
Education Suite, Callendar House
Cost: £25.00

Music - NeWt

Sat 02 Oct 2010, 7.00pm
acknowledging Davies’s reputation as an accomplished jazz musician, jazz trio, NeWt plays a unique gig at the spectacular Falkirk Wheel. The evening includes an introductory talk by Peter Nelson, (Professor of Music and Technology, Edinburgh University) about Davie’s work.

The Falkirk Wheel (www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk)
Tickets: £10.00

Film -The Hippodrome Cinema

Bo’ness Autumn 2010.

Look out for details of screenings relating to Alan Davie at www.falkirk.gov.uk/hippodrome

read more