Author(s): Martin Filler

Art & Design

Over the past 25 years Ian Davenport has consistently employed intensely rigorous and unconventional painting processes. This book provides an in-depth examination of his production, from his electric fan paintings, to his poured arches, circles, lines and puddle paintings. He has experimented with method and medium, exploring the qualities and applications of paints, both in his early monochrome paintings and in his later complex colour combinations. His paintings draw upon the rich heritage of European and American abstraction, and also the contemporary urban environment of London. Davenport is a keen drummer and listens to music while he paints. The musical influence is important; in his more recent paintings the repetition of multiple vertical lines of various colours creates an underlying rhythm that pulses through each work.