Albert Irvin was an English painter born in 1922. As a student he painted in an Impressionist style, but during the 1950s his style turned towards Realism, after he was heavily influences by the Kitchen Sink painters (Walter Richard Sickert, Jack Smith, Edward Middleditch), and also the Abstract Expressionists. Irvin's style remained figurative at first, but in 1959 he produced his first abstract canvas. He then began focussing his attention on London maps and landscapes as his inspiration, followed by an interest in the process of painting itself as a theme. Much of his work contains a diagonal motif, which became more important in Irvin's art the more he painted. During the 1970s he developed an interest in greater spatial complexity, encorporating symbols, lively cross-hatching strokes and and intense 'built up' texture. Irvin's work is part of a number of public and private collections worldwide, including Deutsche Bank.
