1918-1964
Peter Lanyon was mainly a painter, but also a sculptor. Lanyon's work is central to any assessment of St Ives painting, since he experienced at first hand the invigorating influence of Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Naum Gabo, when they moved to St Ives in 1939. However, Lanyon chose to make a more direct reference to the local landscape than his St Ives peers.
Lanyon talked about exploring vertiginous edges within the landscape and in 1959 began gliding. The tactile surfaces and compact, enclosed forms of his work of the early 1950s began to expand into a new flowing style on an increased scale, strengthened by his knowledge of Abstract Expressionism.
Peter Lanyon's last works often drew inspiration from his gliding, but he also referred to architectural forms. He became involved with mural designs. In addition he produced painted junk-studded reliefs, which influenced his final oil paintings. These often carry subtle and integrated relief elements.
Born on the 8th February 1918 in St. Ives, Cornwall, the only son of Herbert Lanyon, a semi-professional musician and photographer.
Following a private education at Clifton College near Bristol, Lanyon enrolled at Penzance School of Art in 1936.
In 1937 he met Adrian Stokes, whose writing and aesthetic theories dramatically affected his work.
After a trip with his mother and sister to South Africa in 1938 and a period of depression, Lanyon enrolled at the Euston Road School in London in May 1939, as advised by Stokes.
Though he stayed for no more than two months, his principal teachers being William Coldstream and Victor Pasmore, he believed the experience was 'exceedingly good training'.
Having returned to Cornwall, Lanyon noted the disintegration of his painting in July/August, but was once more aided by Stokes who suggested he take lessons with Ben Nicholson, which began in September 1939.
Receiving direction in formal aspects of abstract composition from a leading figure of British Modernism led Lanyon into experiments with reliefs and constructions, such as his White Track and Box Construction No. 1.
Throughout the 1940s the influence of Nicholson, as well as Naum Gabo and to a lesser extent Barbara Hepworth, was visible in his work. Lanyon enlisted at the age of twenty and served in the Royal Air Force in North Africa, Palestine and Italy.
In 1946 he married Shelia St. John Browne and they had six children between 1947 and 1957. After World War II Lanyon was actively involved with the Crypt group and was a founder member of the Penwith School of Art in 1949.
Lanyon had his first one-man exhibition at the Lefevre Gallery in London in 1950 and began teaching at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, until 1957.
From 1957-60 he ran an art school, St Peter's Loft at St. Ives with Terry Frost and William Redgrave.
In 1957 he visited New York for a one-men exhibition at the Catherine Viviano Gallery, where he met Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell.
Lanyon had his first one-man exhibition at the Lefevre Gallery in London in 1950 and began teaching at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, until 1957.
From 1957-60 he ran an art school, St Peter's Loft at St. Ives with Terry Frost and William Redgrave.
In 1957 he visited New York for a one-men exhibition at the Catherine Viviano Gallery, where he met Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell.
Lanyon began gliding in 1959 which had a great impact on his painting and print-making. He died in Taunton on 31st August 1964 as a result of injuries he received in a gliding accident.
Selected Exhibitions
1992
Air, Land and Sea, South Bank Centre, London, Arts Council, touring exhibition
1991
Bernard Jacobson Gallery, London, Peter Lanyon: Landscapes 1946-1964; Gillian Jason Gallery, London, Peter Lanyon: Works on Paper
1984 - 1985
British Council Exhibition touring Ireland, Portugal and Spain, Cornwall: Drawings by Peter Lanyon and Photographs by Andrew Lanyon; Gimpel Fils, London, Peter Lanyon: Selected Works 1952-64
1983
New Art Centre, London; Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall; Gimpel Fils, London, Peter Lanyon : Works 1946-1964
1981
City Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent, Peter Lanyon: Drawings and Graphic Work, touring to Museum of Modern Art, Oxford; City Museum and t Gallery, Plymouth
1978
Arts Council, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, Peter Lanyon; Paintings, Drawings and Constructions 1937-1964, touring to Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow; Kettle's Yard, Cambridge; Penwith Society of Art, St. Ives; Royal West of England Academy of Arts, Bristol
1975
Gimpel Fils, London; New Art Centre, London
1970 - 1971
Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol and Park Square Gallery, Leeds
1968
Arts Council, Tate Gallery, London, Peter Lanyon, touring to City Museum and Art Gallery, Plymouth; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne; City Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham; Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1964
Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York; Gimpel and Hanover Gallery, Zurich
1963
Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio Texas; Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
1962
Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York; Sail Loft, St. Ives; Gimpel Fils, London
1961
VI Sao Paulo Bienale, Brazil
1958 - 1960
Gimpel Fils, London
1959
Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
1957
Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
1955
City Museum and Art Gallery, Plymouth
1952 - 1954
Gimpel Fils, London
1949
Lefevre Gallery, London