Richard Allen (abstract artist)
Encyclopedia
Richard Allen was a British Minimalist, Abstract, Systems
, Fundamental and Geometric painter. Allen worked prolifically from 1960 to 1999.
and Kinetic art
movements, exhibiting with Bridget Riley
, Geoffrey Steele, Michael Kidner and Peter Sedgely. A fascination with interferometry
influenced his work at this time and enabled him to develop the linear element in the collage works into a form of optical painting. This work was done using fast acid dye on canvas and an acrylic resist line for the structure of the paintings.
During this period Allen was also working on a series of black and white OP paintings in PVA and oil on board and graphic Op art
works.
paintings on canvas were installed at the Match Shed in London and he had a one man show at Angela Flowers in 1971.
Insert exhibion wall “Match Shed 1970” here
In 1971 Allen became a member of the Matrix Group, organised by Malcolm Hughes. The group were involved in the idea of a systemic form of painting, that is, a recoverable system underlying its construction. Allens' work was included in the Matrix Exhibition at the Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol in 1971. The group then evolved into the Systems group whose interests could be traced back to European Constructivism. In 1972 Allen was represented in the Arts Councils major exhibition of Systems Art which was curated by Nicholas Serota
and began its tour at the Whitechapel Gallery
, London in 1972, moved on to
Allen's work, no longer optical, became increasingly Minimalist and Fundamental. He stopped using colour (apart from in his graphic and geometric work) and began a period of 20 years working primarily with charcoal and cellulose acetate on canvas. Using iconic images; the cross and the grid. Allen described his work as being:
"concerned with evolving and manifesting simple and direct images of a "concrete" nature. The process through which these images develop involves a rational approach to creativity with the use of systemic procedures where there is a relationship between the creative imagination and systems of order” Statement: Richard Allen 1976
By 1974 Allen had gained an international reputation with solo exhibitions in Italy, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Japan and the USA. As well as being included in “British painting ‘74” at the Hayward Gallery
in London, “British Painting 1952-1977” at the Royal Academy
, London he was celebrated with a one man show at The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA, London) in 1975.
Describing his Black and white Systems Charcoal and cellulose acid on canvas paintings/drawings of the mid 1970s art critic William Packer wrote:
"These are very straight-forward works, simple, open and direct…..A simple grid articulates the surface, disposed with perfect regularity and achieving a structure that is utterly static and simplicity and regularity of these works is thus matched by other features which introduce the romantic, the poetic and the atmospheric, elements not usually associated in our minds with Systems work."
William Packer, Galleria del Cavallino exhibition review, 1974
"Richard Allen is an artist who reveals his personal world by translating a harmonic disintegration and reintegration of images and thoughts on to canvas. His use of the abstract is mature. He is totally secure in his technique and has no doubts about it."
Bill Kurria – art critic 1988
Allen explained: retrospective exhibition of his work at The University of Wales School of Art Gallery , Aberystwyth in 1998 and at a one man show at Flowers East in 1999.
Allen died from Motor Neurone Disease
in 1999.
Systems art
Systems art is art influenced by cybernetics, and systems theory, which reflects on natural systems, social systems and social signs of the art world itself....
, Fundamental and Geometric painter. Allen worked prolifically from 1960 to 1999.
1960s Pop art, Op art and Kinetic art
In the early 1960s he became involved In the Op artOp art
Op art, also known as optical art, is a style of visual art that makes use of optical illusions."Optical art is a method of painting concerning the interaction between illusion and picture plane, between understanding and seeing." Op art works are abstract, with many of the better known pieces made...
and Kinetic art
Kinetic art
Kinetic art is art that contains moving parts or depends on motion for its effect. The moving parts are generally powered by wind, a motor or the observer. Kinetic art encompasses a wide variety of overlapping techniques and styles.-Kinetic sculpture:...
movements, exhibiting with Bridget Riley
Bridget Riley
Bridget Louise Riley CH CBE is an English painter who is one of the foremost proponents of Op art.-Early life:...
, Geoffrey Steele, Michael Kidner and Peter Sedgely. A fascination with interferometry
Interferometry
Interferometry refers to a family of techniques in which electromagnetic waves are superimposed in order to extract information about the waves. An instrument used to interfere waves is called an interferometer. Interferometry is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy,...
influenced his work at this time and enabled him to develop the linear element in the collage works into a form of optical painting. This work was done using fast acid dye on canvas and an acrylic resist line for the structure of the paintings.
During this period Allen was also working on a series of black and white OP paintings in PVA and oil on board and graphic Op art
Op art
Op art, also known as optical art, is a style of visual art that makes use of optical illusions."Optical art is a method of painting concerning the interaction between illusion and picture plane, between understanding and seeing." Op art works are abstract, with many of the better known pieces made...
works.
Early 1970s
In the early 1970s Allen was involved with [Bridget Riley] and Peter Sedgely's artist cooperative at the Match Shed in London. In 1970 his large two colour stripe acrylic Op artOp art
Op art, also known as optical art, is a style of visual art that makes use of optical illusions."Optical art is a method of painting concerning the interaction between illusion and picture plane, between understanding and seeing." Op art works are abstract, with many of the better known pieces made...
paintings on canvas were installed at the Match Shed in London and he had a one man show at Angela Flowers in 1971.
Insert exhibion wall “Match Shed 1970” here
In 1971 Allen became a member of the Matrix Group, organised by Malcolm Hughes. The group were involved in the idea of a systemic form of painting, that is, a recoverable system underlying its construction. Allens' work was included in the Matrix Exhibition at the Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol in 1971. The group then evolved into the Systems group whose interests could be traced back to European Constructivism. In 1972 Allen was represented in the Arts Councils major exhibition of Systems Art which was curated by Nicholas Serota
Nicholas Serota
Sir Nicholas Andrew Serota is a British art curator. Serota was director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London, and The Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, before becoming director of the Tate, the United Kingdom's national gallery of modern and British art in 1988. He was awarded a knighthood in 1999. He...
and began its tour at the Whitechapel Gallery
Whitechapel Gallery
The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, it was founded in 1901 as one of the first publicly-funded galleries for temporary exhibitions in London, and it has a long...
, London in 1972, moved on to
Allen's work, no longer optical, became increasingly Minimalist and Fundamental. He stopped using colour (apart from in his graphic and geometric work) and began a period of 20 years working primarily with charcoal and cellulose acetate on canvas. Using iconic images; the cross and the grid. Allen described his work as being:
"concerned with evolving and manifesting simple and direct images of a "concrete" nature. The process through which these images develop involves a rational approach to creativity with the use of systemic procedures where there is a relationship between the creative imagination and systems of order” Statement: Richard Allen 1976
By 1974 Allen had gained an international reputation with solo exhibitions in Italy, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Japan and the USA. As well as being included in “British painting ‘74” at the Hayward Gallery
Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery is an art gallery within the Southbank Centre, part of an area of major arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames, in central London, England. It is sited adjacent to the other Southbank Centre buildings and also the Royal National Theatre and British Film Institute...
in London, “British Painting 1952-1977” at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, London he was celebrated with a one man show at The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA, London) in 1975.
Describing his Black and white Systems Charcoal and cellulose acid on canvas paintings/drawings of the mid 1970s art critic William Packer wrote:
"These are very straight-forward works, simple, open and direct…..A simple grid articulates the surface, disposed with perfect regularity and achieving a structure that is utterly static and simplicity and regularity of these works is thus matched by other features which introduce the romantic, the poetic and the atmospheric, elements not usually associated in our minds with Systems work."
William Packer, Galleria del Cavallino exhibition review, 1974
"Richard Allen is an artist who reveals his personal world by translating a harmonic disintegration and reintegration of images and thoughts on to canvas. His use of the abstract is mature. He is totally secure in his technique and has no doubts about it."
Bill Kurria – art critic 1988
1990s – Minimalism and “The White Paintings”
In the mid 1990s Allen returned to the use of colour and the medium of oil paint on canvas. He began to work on what was to be his last body of work: “The White Paintings”. Despite their name all the paintings have colour lying beneath the white which was applied within a strict linear structure. A range of different whites i.e. Flake, Zinc, Titanium etc. were used in combinations for their various modulatory abilities of colour bias and opacity. When talking about the execution of these worksAllen explained: retrospective exhibition of his work at The University of Wales School of Art Gallery , Aberystwyth in 1998 and at a one man show at Flowers East in 1999.
Graphic work and Geometric abstraction
Allen was also a talented printmaker. He consistently made graphics alongside his painting and drawing. These works included Silk Screen Op’ art graphics back in the 60s, the “Ikonocross” series of black cross derived prints, brightly coloured silk screens and Geometric abstraction, and a small edition of "White Painting" Lithographs.Allen died from Motor Neurone Disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
in 1999.
External links
- Official site of the estate of Richard Allen.
- chronology of "Reductive art".
- gallery representing the estate of Richard Allen.