Framed original
Alan Davie (1920-2014) was a renowned Scottish painter and musician, celebrated for his vibrant abstract expressionist works. Davie’s art is known for its bold colours, energetic brushwork, and incorporation of symbols and motifs from a variety of cultural traditions, including ancient and primitive art, jazz music, and poetry.
His diverse sources of inspiration included mythology, mysticism, and non-Western cultures. Davie was particularly fascinated by the art and spiritual practices of indigenous peoples, which he encountered through his extensive travels. His works often feature a mixture of abstract forms and symbolic imagery, creating a sense of mystery and enchantment.
| Medium: | Mixed media |
| Format: | Mixed media |
| Size (Framed): | 39 x 20" |
| Signed: | Yes |
| Condition: | Excellent |
Alan Davie was born in Grangemouth, near Edinburgh and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1948 he saw the work of the American Abstract Expressionists and was impressed by their intensity and freedom.
He abandoned traditional methods of composition and subject matter and sought to free his art from premeditated decision-making. This approach owes much to the artist’s interest in Zen Buddhism and there is also an analogy with jazz – Davie was a jazz saxophonist early on in his career.
In the later 1950s and 1960s his brushwork became more controlled and the imagery more legible. Mysterious symbols began to appear, found in sources as varied as American Indian pottery, maps, ancient rock-carvings and Aboriginal art.
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