Alan Davie, b.1920

Alan Davie1920
Born Grangemouth, Scotland
1937
Edinburgh College of Art
1941-6
War Service, Royal Artillery
1946-7
Jazz musician
1947
Married Janet (Bili) Gaul
1948-9
Travelled in Europe
1948
Exhibitions in Florence and Venice, Paintings bought by PeggyGuggenheim
1949
Making jewellery and silverware, Jazz musician, birth of daughterJane
1950
First solo show at Gimpel Fils, London, subsequently every two yearsto date
1956
First American show, Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York,subsequently shown frequently throughout the USA. Gregory Fellowship, University of Leeds. Public lectures
1958
Retrospective, Wakefield Art Gallery, Retrospective, WhitechapelArt Gallery, London
1959
Teaching, Central School of Arts and Crafts, London
1960-80
Gliding, 2000 hours in England, Switzerland, USA
1962
Solo show, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Solo show Bienal di SãoPaulo, Brazil - prize for best painter
1963-70
Experiments in lithography
1971-5
Concerts and recordings of free music
1972
Awarded CBE
1974-91
Wintered in St. Lucia
1977
Lecturer, Royal College of Art, London
1979
Visit to Australia and Bali
1991
Senior Fellow, Royal College of Art, London
1992
Retrospective, McLellan Galleries, Glasgow, Scotland
1992-5
British Council Touring Exhibition, South America and Australia
1993
Retrospective, Barbican, London
1997
Drawing retrospective, University of Brighton and National Galleryof Modern Art, Scotland
2000-02
Small Paintings Touring Show, touring UK including TalbotRice Gallery, Edinburgh and Gimpel Fils, London
2000
Retrospective, National Gallery of Modern Art, Scotland
2001
Retrospective Cobra Museum for Modern Art Amstelveen, The Netherlands
2002
Visiting Professor, University of Brighton School of Art
2003
Lives and works in Hertfordshire and Cornwall, England

2003-4
Retrospective, Tate St Ives, Cornwall
Selected Individual Exhibitions1946
Grant's Bookshop, Edinburgh
1948
Galleria Michelangelo, Florence
Galleria Sandri, Venice
1950-6
Gimpel Fils, London
1956-7
Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
1958
Retrospective:Liverpool Walker Art Gallery; London Whitechapel ArtGallery; Nottingham University; Wakefield Art Gallery
1960
Gimpel Fils, London,Galerie Charles Leinhard, Zurich
1961
Gimpel Fils, LondonEsther Robles Gallery, Los AngelesGalleria del Naviglio, MilanMartha Jackson Gallery, New YorkGalerie Rive Droite, ParisMuseum of Art, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh
1962
Stedelijk Museum: Retrospective, AmsterdamRBA Galleries: Retrospective, London
1963
Kunsthalle: Retrospective, Baden-BadenKunsthalle: Retrospective, BernGimpel Fils, LondonKunstnernes Hus: Retrospective, OsloPforzheim Kunstgewerbeverein: RetrospectiveGalleria La Medusa, Rome,São Paulo VII Bienal de Bellas ArtesMuseo de Bellas Artes, CaracasMuseu de Arte Moderna, Rio de JaneiroGimpel & Hanover Galerie, Zurich
1965
Galerie d'Aujourd'hui, BrusselsGalerie Rudolf Zwirner, CologneCourt Gallery, CopenhagenGimpel Fils, LondonMartha Jackson Gallery, New YorkGraves Art Gallery, SheffieldGalerie Bleue, Stockholm
1966
Commonwealth Institute Gallery, EdinburghQueen's Gallery, LeedsUsher Gallery, LincolnGimpel Fils, LondonNorwich Castle Museum
Haaken Gallery, OsloRotterdamsche Kunstring, Rotterdam
1967
Arts Club of ChicagoHannover, Kestner-GesellschaftGimpel Fils, LondonGalerie de France, ParisGimpel & Hanover Galerie, Zurich
1968
Hudson Gallery, DetroitKunstverein fur die Rheinlande Westfalen, DusseldorfRichard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh
1969
Kunstmuseum, BaselGimpel Fils, LondonGimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New York
1970
Gimpel Fils, LondonGalerie Stangl, MunichGallerie La Medusa, Rome
1970-7
USA Retrospective: Austin Texas, Montreal Canada, Oakland CA
1971
Galerie Lambert Monet, GenevaGimpel Fils, LondonCalifornia College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland CCAC GalleryGimpel & Hanover Galerie, Zurich
1972
Edinburgh International Festival, Royal Scotish Academy, touring toBraunschweig and Karlsruhe: Retrospective 1952-1972Gimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New York
1975
Basel Art '75Gimpel Fils, LondonComsky Gallery, Los Angeles
Gimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New YorkGalerie de France, ParisYoungstown Kilcawley Center, Youngstown UniversityGimpel & Hanover Galerie, Zurich
1976
Hokin Gallery, Chicago
Galleria La Medusa, RomeRoyal Oak Rubiner Gallery
1977
City of Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum, AberdeenZoumboulakis Gallery, AthensCarone Gallery, Fort LauderdaleGimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New YorkLa Demeure, ParisGalerie Le Dessin, Paris
1978
Galerie Brinkman, AmsterdamGaleria am Palmengarten, FrankfurtGimpel Fils, LondonGalerie Maercklin, StuttgartGimpel & Hanover Galerie, Zurich
1979
Galeria Ado, BonheidenRay Hughes Gallery, BrisbaneCarone Gallery, Fort LauderdaleGimpel Fils, LondonAustralia, Lister Gallery, PerthArt of Man Gallery, Sydney
1980
Gimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New YorkGimpel & Hanover, ZurichLister Gallery, Australia
1981
Gimpel Fils, LondonGalerie Van Loe, Frankfurt
1982
Rosenberg Fine Arts Ltd, TorontoThe Scottish Gallery, EdinburghThe Arcade Gallery, Harrogate
Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong KongGalerie de Raam, Breda, Netherlands,Paris, FIAC
1983
Galerie d'Eendt, AmsterdamGimpel Fils, London
1984
Bath Festival GalleryWindsor Community Arts CentreGalerie Van Loe, FrankfurtBede Gallery, JarrowLoft Gallery, Ware
1985
Galerie Apicella, BonnGalerie Peccolo, Livorno
Gimpel Fils, LondonYares Gallery, Scotsdale, Arizona
1986
Gimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New York
1987
Major Works of the Fifties, Gimpel Fils, LondonMoray House Gallery, EdinburghGalerie Louis Carre, ParisFIAC, Paris
1988
Magic Fountains, Gimpel Fils, LondonAlan Davie: Paintings from 1956-198, South West Galleries Association, touring eight cities inScotland
1989
Works on paper 1960-1985, Gimpel Fils, LondonGalleri G, Helsingborg SwedenDrawings, Kunsthandel Steinek, ViennaWorks on paper, Galerie Louis Carre, ParisMajor Works of the Sixties, Gimpel Fils, London
1990
Galleri G: Alan Davie in the 70's'1991
Triennale Grafiki Krakow, PolandRecent Paintings, Wolf At The Door, Penzance, CornwallRecent Works, Gimpel Fils, LondonGalerie Bork, Copenhagen

1992
Glasgow, McLellan Galleries: The Alan Davie Retrospective - 1937 tothe present touring to Royal West of England Academy, BristolTalbot Rice Art Gallery, Edinburgh and British Counciltouring to Brussels and South America
1993
A Retrospective, the Butler Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland Chicago Eva Cohon Gallery
New York ACA Galleries
1993- 4
Alan Davie: The Quest for the Miraculous University of Brighton Gallery, subsequentlytouring to Hastings Museum and Art Gallery; Ramsgate GalleryThe University Gallery, University of Northumbria atNewcastle; The UniversityGallery, Nottingham; The Smith Art Gallery and Museum,Stirling; Barbican Art Gallery, LondonBineth Gallery, Tel AvivACA Galleries, Munich
Galeria Fernando Santos, Porto
1995
Gimpel Fils, London

1996
Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, The First YearsPallant House, Chichester: Alan Davie, a microcosm
1997
Gimpel Fils, London: Alan Davie, Recent GouachesACA Galleries, New York: Alan DavieAlan Davie Drawings, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
University of Brighton Gallery, Sussex
Art Jonction, France
1998
The Pier Arts Centre, Orkney: Alan Davie Paintings 1993-1998Faggionato Fine Arts, London: Alan Davie Works on Paper
1999
Gimpel Fils, London: Alan Davie: New WorkUH Galleries, University of Hertfordshire: Alan Davie: Works of the Nineties
2000
Bologna Art Fair, Gimpel Fils
University of Brighton Gallery: Alan Davie - Small Paintings 1949-2000Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh: Alan Davie
2001-2
Alan Davie Small Paintings 1949-2000, Touring: Talbot RiceGallery, University of Edinburgh, MAC Birmingham, Gimpel Fils, London Galleria Morone, Milan: Alan Davie: Il risveglio della conoscenza intuitivaCobra Museum for Modern Art, Amstelveen, The Netherlands: Alan Davie Schilderijen Paintings 1950-2000
2002
Howard Gardens Gallery, University of Wales Institute: Alan Davie Small Paintings 1949-2000,Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate: Alan Davie: Magical SymbolismGodfrey & Watt, Harrogate: Alan Davie: Screenprints
2003
Gimpel Fils, London
James Hyman Fine Art, LondonGalerie Nothelfer, Berlin (major works at Corneliustrasse site, and paintings at Uhlandstrasse site) in conjunction with Total Music Meeting, Free Music Production, Alan Davie and Tony Oxley jazz event
2003-4
Tate St.Ives, St.Ives: Alan Davie: Retrospective

2004
ACA Galleries, New York, Alan Davie: The Alchemical Journey
Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, Alan Davie
Peter Scott Gallery, Lancaster University, Alan Davie

2005
Gimpel Filds, London, Alan Davie: Paintings from the Fifties and Sixties
Galleria Morone, Milan: Alan Davie: A Game of Poetry

2006
108 Fine Art, Harrogate, Alan Davie: Paintings and Drawings 1948-2004

2007
Thomas Dane Gallery, London: Alan Davie: Paintings 1955-67

2008
Gimpel Fils, London and James Hyman Gallery, London: Alan Davie: the Shaman’s Enigma touring to Hillsboro Fine Art, Dublin and Galerie Gimpel & Müller, Paris
Open Eye Gallery, EdinburghSelected Public CollectionsAustralia:
Art Gallery of South Australia, AdelaideArt Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Austria:
Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Vienna
Brazil:
Museum of Modern Art, Rio de JaneiroMuseu de Arte Contemporanea, São Paulo
Canada:
Musée d'Art Contemporain, MontrealNational Gallery of Canada, Ottowa
France:
Fondation Maeght, St.-Paul-de-Vence
Germany:
Staatliche Kunsthalle, Baden-BadenStädtische Kunstgalerie, Bochum
Ireland:
Arts Council of Ireland, DublinTrinity College, Dublin
Israel:
Museum of Tel Aviv
Italy:
Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice
Netherlands:
Stedelijk Museum AmsterdamStedelijk Van Abbemuseum, EindhovenGemeentemuseum, The HagueMuseum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam

New Zealand:
City of Aukland Art Gallery
Norway:
Kunstnernes Hus, OsloNational Gallery, Oslo
South Korea:
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul
Switzerland:
Kunsthaus, ZurichKunstmuseum, BaselKunsthalle, Berne
United Kingdom:
British Council, LondonTate Gallery, London
Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonUlster Museum, BelfastArts Council of Northern Ireland, BelfastBristol City Art GalleryUniversity of BrightonUniversity of CambridgeUniversity of EdinburghUniversity of ManchesterScottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
United States
Museum of Modern Art, New YorkBoston Museum of Fine ArtsAlbright-Knox Art Gallery, BuffaloDallas Museum of Fine ArtsDetroit Institute of ArtsYale University Art Gallery, New HavenPrincetown UniversityCarnegie Institute, PittsburghSan Francisco Museum of Modern ArtWashington University Museum

Bibliography

Hall, D        'Introducing Alan Davie' in Alan Davie Lund Humphries Publishers, London 1992
Horovitz, M        Alan Davie Methuen, London 1963
Januszczak, W        Catalogue text for Village Myths and Other Works Gimpel Fils, London 1983
Lambirth, A        'Alan Davie: In Conversation with the Artist' in The Artist's and
Illustrator's Magazine issue 76 January 1993
Lane, J        'Alan Davie: Art of Coherence' in Resurgence issue 169 March/April
1995
Lewinski, J        Portrait of the Artist: Twenty Five Years of British Art Carcanet Press Ltd., Manchester 1987
Lewis, D (ed) The Incomplete Circle: Eric Atkinson, art and education (contains material on Davie's Gregory Fellowship at the University of Leeds) Scolar Press, Aldershot 2000
MacMillan, D        'Magic Pictures' in Alan Davie: Works on Paper Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh/The British Council, London 1992
Melville, R        Alan Davie Motif 7, 1961 (re-published by Gimpel Fils)
Mundy, J (ed)        Brancusi To Beuys: Works From The Ted Power Collection Tate Publishing, London 1996
Patrick, K        'An Interview with Alan Davie' in The Green Book vol 111 no 3, Bristol 1989
Patrick, K        'Alan Davie: A Tribute on the Artist's 70th Birthday' in ArtLine
International vol 5 no 3 October/November 1990
Patrizio, A        `A Handful of Sounds: The Art of Alan Davie' in Solo: The Alan
& Coxson, J        Davie Retrospective Glasgow Museums, Glasgow 1992
Patrizio, A        'An Interview with Alan Davie' in Alan Davie: Works on Paper
& Hare, B        Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh/The British Council,
London 1992
Read, H        Contemporary British Art Penguin 1964 (rev. ed. of 1951 volume)
Robertson, B        `Preface' in Alan Davie: Paintings and Drawings 1936-1958
Whitechapel Art Gallery, London 1958
Roche-Villiers, J 'Alan Davie: Painter of the Unknowable' in Alan Davie: Peintures
Galerie Louis Carre & Cie, Paris 1987
Roy, I        'Alan Davie: Scotland's Grand Master' in Modern Painters vol IV
no 4 Winter 1991
Roy, I        'Portrait of the Artist: Alan Davie at Gamels Studio' (photoessay & text) in Tucker, M (ed) Alan Davie: The Quest For The Miraculous University of Brighton Gallery/Lund Humphries Publishers/Barbican Art Gallery, London 1993
Sandberg, W        `Preface' in Alan Davie FBA Galleries, London/Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam 1962
Sturt-Penrose, B 'Profile of Alan Davie' The Arts Review vol XV 11 no 10 May 29 - June 12 1965
Sylvester, D Alan Davie and the Cult of painting Big, Sunday Times
Tucker, M Dreaming With Open Eyes: The Shamanic Spirit in Twentieth Century Art and Culture Aquarian/HarperCollins, London & San Francisco 1992
Tucker, M        'Music Man's Dream' in Alan Davie Lund Humphries Publishers, London 1992
Tucker, M        'Visions of an Enchanted Life' in Tucker, M (ed) Alan Davie: The Quest For The Miraculous University of Brighton Gallery/Lund Humphries Publishers/Barbican Art Gallery, London 1993 (with contributions by Brian Bates, John Bellany, Jan G,arbarek, Lynne Green, Barry Guy, Albert Irwin, Ian McKeever, lain Roy, Philip Ward, Kenneth White, Frans Widerberg)
Tucker, M        'Into the Mystic: The Art of Alan Davie' in Alan Davie: A Retrospective The Butler Gallery, Kilkenny Castle 1993 (published in slightly different form for the exhibition Alan Davie: A Microcosm Pallant House Gallery, Chichester 1996)
Tucker, M 'Dreaming the Beautyway' in Elliott, P & Tucker, M (eds) Alan Davie Drawings National Galleries of Scotland/University of Brighton/The Paragon Press, London 1997
Tucker, M        'In The Room Of The Shaman' in Alan Davie: Works of the Nineties University of Hertfordshire Gallery, Hatfield 1999
University of        Alan Davie: Retrospective USA 1970 University of Austin,
Austin        Texas 1970
Yares, R        `Preface' in Alan Davie: The Magic Sounds of Colour Yares Gallery, Arizona 1985