Horizons presents a group of approximately seventeen large-scale works from the last thirty years by British abstract artist Ian Davenport, from the earlier pieces made with industrial materials of the '80s, till the more complex multicolored works of the last years. Mapping the ongoing development of the artist's career and demonstrating his interest in the theatrics of painting, the publication proves how curiosity, inquisitiveness, and fun, have always been a fundamental part of Davenport's practice, and sheds light on the intimate punkiness, immediacy, and dynamic of his paint activity.
“I'm interested to see the way that paint and colors sit next to each other. I try not to be too critical of myself at that point and see what happens. Over time I start to notice that certain color sequences sit very well together. I almost feel like a composer putting a piece of music together, taking sections where you might hear a number of notes and think, these really resonate to me. From the color studies, I select parts and coreograph them to form a much more cohesive whole.”—Ian Davenport
Published on the occasion of the eponymous exhibition at Dallas Contemporary, in 2018-2019.
The creative process of Ian Davenport (born 1966 in Sidcup, England) has two aspects: the act of painting and the performance. He starts by spreading the lacquer onto medium density fireboard or aluminium panels that are then flipped or tipped to move paint across and off the surface. Some of his works are made by pouring the paint onto a tilted surface and then by letting gravity work and spread the paint on the surface. The brilliance of the painting enables the viewer to see his own reflection. These clearly attractive works may seem simple, but they are much more complex than this explanation suggests. The most intense moment comes when the situation is out of control: when colours come into contact. These works have a presence, a power to transform the surface they occupy, changing the perception of space around them.
