Gillian Ayres
dal 10/4/2015 al 29/5/2015
Segnalato da
10/4/2015
Gillian Ayres
Alan Cristea Gallery, London
For the exhibition the artist present new series of works, alongside a select group of historic paintings panning 1959-1997.
This Spring, from 13 April - 30 May 2015, the Alan Cristea Gallery will unveil a new series of works,
alongside a select group of historic paintings, spanning the career of Gillian Ayres RA CBE, one of
Britain’s most respected and best-loved painters. Now in her 85 th year, and after 65 years
dedicated to abstract art, Ayres continues to produce a considerable body of work with unceasing
vibrancy and energy.
Displayed in the gallery space in 34 Cork Street will be four large scale paintings by Ayres spanning
1959 – 1997. The group includes Cumuli, undoubtedly one of her most important paintings, and
the one which, as the centrepiece of the Art Council’s 1960 seminal exhibition, Situation,
established Ayres’ reputation. These four paintings trace the evolution of Ayres’ style and
accomplishments as a painter over the first 40 years of her career. Progressing from the early use
of oil and ripolin thrown and poured onto wooden panels towards her recent use of thick applied
oil paint to create clear and defined edges and shapes, these works demonstrate how Ayres has
always forged her own path in a completely original way. These works have never been offered for
sale before.
Ayres’ new paintings and works on paper will be exhibited in the gallery space at 31 Cork Street.
Her love of colour and light has been appropriated from the natural world to create works full of
movement. Despite her insistence on abstraction, recurrent shapes in her recent work remind us
of natural phenomena, such as, petals, wings, fans, leaves and stars, and the titles of works draw
on place names, names of flowers and famous gardens, or most recently the verses of poets such
as Oscar Wilde, Dylan Thomas and William Butler Yeats. Ayres has consistently made prints in
numerous techniques over the years. A selection of prints, including woodcuts, etchings and hand-
painted monoprints, will be displayed alongside the paintings. Ayres, who still spends every day in
the studio, continues to break new ground with paintings and prints that are exuberant, vigorous
and full of colour and energy.
Image: The Seesaw Sea, 2014, by Gillian Ayres. Courtesy Gillian Ayres and Alan Cristea Gallery
Press Contact:
Gemma Colgan, gemma.colgan@alancristea.com
+44 (0)20 7439 1866
Private View Saturday 11 April, 11am – 1pm
Alan Cristea Gallery | London
31 & 34 Cork Street
Mon - Fri 10am to 5:30pm, Sat 11am to 2pm