Autumn 2005

Elements of Abstraction: Space, Line and Interval in Modern British Art 30 September 2005 - 8 January 2006. Galleries 1 - 4

image credit: Victor Pasmore (1908-1998), Rectangular Motif:Red and Mustard, 1950, oil on canvas, 610 x 508mm Copyright The Artist's Estate, courtesy of Marlborough Fine Art (London) Ltd, 2005

Abstract art has puzzled and stimulated viewers since the origins of modern art and today it continues to offer sensations of unparallel pleasure and complexity. The exhibition includes artwork by over forty different artists based primarily on our own extensive holdings aided by the Gallery's recent David Brown bequest and loans from the University of Southampton, Tate Gallery, Arts Council of England Collection and some private lenders. We have commissioned Alan Fowler and Professor Brandon Taylor from the Department of History of Art, University of Southampton to curate the exhibition and write accompanying catalogue essays.

Elements of Abstraction demonstrates how space, line and interval have formed the most basic elements of art in the last half century, aiming to re-open the debate on how abstract art exists, and why.

Artists featured:
Roger Ackling Robert Adams Gillian Ayres Wilhelmina Barnes-Graham John Bigge George Dannatt Ian Davenport Robyn Denny John Ernest Terry Frost William Gear Duncan Grant Adrian Heath Patrick Heron Anthony Hill Roger Hilton Howard Hodgkin John Hoyland Callum Innes Michael Kidner Peter Lanyon Simon Linke Peter Lowe Kenneth Martin Mary Martin Margaret Mellis Denis Mitchell Alistair Morton Marlow Moss Paul Nash Christopher Nevinson Ben Nicholson Victor Pasmore Alan Reynolds William Scott
Jean Spencer Jeffrey Steele John Stephenson John Tunnard Paule Vézelay Keith Vaughan Edward Wadsworth Gillian Wise John Wells

A catalogue has been published to accompany the exhibition, with generous support from from the Paul Mellon Foundation. The catalogue has 48 colour pages of illustrations, with essays by the Exhibition Curator's, Alan Fowler and Brandon Taylor. To order a copy please contact the Gallery Shop on 02380 83 2705.