"Prunella Clough and Alan Reynolds were largely influenced by the major
developments in twentieth century art. Both with roots in figuration -
Reynolds in landscape and Clough in the urban environment - their work
becomes increasingly concerned with the formal qualities of painting. Whilst Reynolds’ practice steers into complete abstraction, it could be
said that Clough’s paintings retain elements of the ‘real’ world. Both
artists were, through their teaching, highly influential to an entire
generation of artists that followed them and their impact continues to
be felt today." - Annely Juda.
Prunella Clough and Alan Reynolds installation view
As interesting as Prunella Clough's work is I specifically wanted to catch this exhibition as I was interested in learning more about Alan Reynolds' transformation from representational artist to abstract artist. I had witnessed a similar transformation in May at Marlborough gallery's Victor Pasmore show (here). That show was revelatory but gave no indications of Pasmore's path into total abstraction, as it strictly separated Pasmore's abstract and representational oeuvres. Here at Annely Juda, Reynolds' journey from the representational to that of pure abstraction is writ large chronologically across their gallery walls, and makes for fascinating viewing. Reynolds's earliest figurative, colour works, to the stark, all-white, minimalism of his last pieces where he plays with geometric shapes within the picture plane are well documented here. Reynolds (1926-2014), was active as a painter in a period of 20th C. art which has come to be of real interest to me since last year's pandemic lockdowns. I particularly admire the abstract works created by other artists as well as Reynolds in this time frame, and they have become very influential on my own works of late. With Reynolds I particularly like the period in which his works verge on the abstract, but still remain partly representational. There is a particular tension in these images, and the fact that they are in transition and haven't quite reached a resolution into a totally abstract conclusion really intrigues me. You can see the process of the artist's brain wrestling with the puzzles of the formal pictoral elements, and trying to solve the problems he has set himself, and then wondering how he can best resolve them, reconciling his art with his own personal concepts of abstraction. I really enjoyed the colours and shapes created in Reynolds's paintings. My favourite in this show was Winter Image, 1958, a glorious little concoction of harmonious, muted colours and close tonal variations, criss-crossed by a tissue of spidery web-like fine lines, reminiscent of some of Georgia O' Keeffe's finest flower paintings.
Prunella Clough - Man With Printing Press, 1953
Prunella Clough - Left Over, 1991
Prunella Clough - Trinket 2, 1994
Prunella Clough - T-Shirt, 1994
Prunella Clough - Red Gate, 1981
Alan Reynolds Installation view
Alan Reynolds - The Poet Goes Poaching, 1951
Alan Reynolds - The Village Fair, 1952
Alan Reynolds - Abstract: Green, Black and Grey, 1959
Alan Reynolds - Forms Red, Green and Orange, 1960
Alan Reynolds - Winter Image, 1958
Alan Reynolds - Lyric Abstract, 1958-59
Alan Reynolds - Structure - Ovoid Ground, 1962
Alan Reynolds - Cosmic (mini), 1972
Alan Reynolds - Poised forms (mini), 1972
Alan Reynolds - Quartet, 1974
Alan Reynolds - Structures - Group II, 1981
Prunella Clough and Alan Reynolds
until 31st July
Annely Juda Fine Art
23 Dering Street
London
W1S 1AW
