William Gear: European Modernist

11 June - 31 August 2016

James Hyman gallery presents our first post-Brexit exhibition, a special online exhibition, William Gear. European Modernist.

The exhibition presents the fascinating early works of one of the greatest British artists of the twentieth century, William Gear (1915-97).

Born in Scotland, Gear was notable for his engagement with European Modernism. At a time when much English art was conservative and inward looking, William Gear stood out for his engagement with the latest trends in European culture.

The exhibition focuses on the formative impact of Gear's prewar travels in Europe and especially the importance of his studies with Fernand Leger in Paris in 1937, who Gear described as "a keystone for me.

These works reflect the influences of the main European cultural tendencies of the day: the new classical nudes of Fernand Leger, the legacy of French Surrealism and pioneering abstraction. They reveal a Scottish artist at the forefront of European culture and illustrate the importance of this first-hand experience of contemporary European culture to the evolution of British cultural life.

William Gear was the subject of a major monograph by Andrew Lambirth earlier this year and his work can be found in major museums around the world.

Prices start from just £650