St. Ives Art Exhibition ~ York Art Gallery

02 May to 27 September 2009
A Select exhibition from the Arts Council Collection
The vibrant and colourful art of St Ives will be the focus of a new exhibition at York Art Gallery this summer.
Stunning works of art produced by artists such as Dame Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Alfred Wallis are included in the show, drawn from York Art Gallery and Arts Council collections.

All the works displayed were produced in and around St Ives between 1930 and 1970, when the area became established as a centre for the avant garde in Britain.
The sense of community and how the artists inspired each other's work will be a key theme running through the exhibition.

“For generations the closely knit groups of painters and ceramicists of St Ives have created brilliant art inspired by the beauty of the Cornish landscape. This exhibition will bring together some of the finest examples of this work and look at the relationships and collaborations that sprang up in this hive of creativity. Vibrant, bright colours and the fresh attitude of this unique group of artists make St Ives an ideal theme for this summer's main exhibition.” - Laura Turner, Curator of Art.

The exhibition will comprise of 21 paintings and drawings as well as 3 sculptures and 14 ceramics. The earliest works featured are Alfred Walli's Ship in Rough Sea c.1925 and Trawler. His primitive style and the fact he was native to the area meant he was an inspiration to many other artists, especially Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood. Wood's Westmorland Landscape and Nicholson's May 1956 - Hendrifter and Still Life: Birdie are included in the exhibition.

Wallis died in poverty but the sense of community was strongly apparent, with the artists paying for him to be buried properly and ceramicist Bernard Leach making the tiles for the grave. Works by Leach and fellow potter Shoji Hamada are also included in the show. It will also feature well known names such as Terry Frost, Peter Lanyon, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Patrick Heron and Roger Hilton.

Curator's Lunchtime Talk
18th June 09, 12:30 - 1:00pm
Gain a greater insight into the St Ives Exhibition.
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