Instantly recognisable for his signature pouring of paint onto a tilted surface, the work of abstract artist Ian Davenport occupies a significant place in contemporary British art. These early paintings date from the formative period of his career between graduating from Goldsmiths College in 1988, and his first solo exhibition in 1990 and Turner Prize nomination in 1991.
His abstract paintings are created by pouring layers of paint onto prepared canvases or board making complex colour combinations that visualise the artist’s fascination with colour and its importance in establishing the boundaries between representation and abstraction, evoking the processes of the Post-painterly Abstraction movement in America in the 1950s and 60s. Often employing unconventional materials such as electric fans and nails, Davenport’s work explores the materiality of paint as a subject matter in its own right, creating compositions that considers the act of painting as well as the importance of visual harmony.
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