John Hoyland - SHUTTER 16.4.76 (1976), 1976

Tanya Baxter Contemporary
Oct 2, 2018 2:29PM

A stunning example of John Hoyland's work. Acrylic on canvas, 228.6 x 149.9 cm

John Hoyland - SHUTTER, 16.4.76, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 228.6 x 149.9 cm

John Hoyland (1934 - 2011) was one of the most important English abstract painter who has recently been gaining recognition and popularity internationally at auctions and private sales.

Previously venturing into optical geometry and stripes, in 1964 Hoyland came to New York City where he met the artists Robert Motherwell, Barnett Newman, and Mark Rothko, whose exhibition at the Whitechapen in 1961 had made a deep impression on him.

Hoyland was not interested in symmetry, balance, all-overness, chevrons, a mechanical look, or modular repetition - all characteristics of the American abstract paintings being done at the same time by artists such as Kenneth Noland, Frank Stella, and Ellsworth Kelly.

Hoyland's use of colour is also unique. He used bold, bright colours - lime green, dark red, bright orange, many shades of colours. His shapes and colours provoking movement, drawing your eyes to skitter across the painting, the shifts of colour and surface pulling you closer.

Along with the rest of the Modern British artists whose prices have skyrocketed in recenty years, Hoyland's work is situated to grow substantially in price over the coming years. Damien Hirst is a huge admirer and collector of Hoyland's paintings and recently held a major John Hoyland retrospective at his new gallery in London. Hirst is quoted "In my eyes John Hoyland was by far the greatest British abstract painter and an artist who was never afraid to push the boundaries." And American artist Robert Motherwell suggested that Hoyland could be the new Turner.

Hoyland's first solo exhibition was at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1967; in 1969 he represented Great Britain at the Sao Paulo Biennale; he then had a major retrospective at the Serpentine Gallery, The Royal Academy of Arts, and Tate St. Ives; in 1982 he won the John Moores Prize - the most prestigious award for painting in Britain at that time; he was elected a Royal Academician in 1991, and was appointed Professor of Painting at the Royal Academy Schools in 1999.

Tanya Baxter Contemporary