Gwyther Irwin 1931-2008

This is one of a small group of works that Irwin made using black card, its tonal palette built from the light and shadows cast on the folded boards applied to the support end on. Another from the group, acquired from the Artist’s successful 1963 Gimpel Fils exhibition that included the present work, is now in the Tate Collection, T00613 (https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/irwin-forests-of-the-night-t00613). ‘63 was an important year for Irwin, seeing his inclusion in an exhibition of key British artists in Denmark, another in the USA that toured San Francisco, Dallas and Santa Barbara, and a number of major UK shows, including with the Whitechapel Gallery, Gallery One and the Arts Council. A third black collage, Phantom, was exhibited in Berlin's 1974 exhibition of works by Irwin, Roger Hilton, Joe Tilson and Bernard Meadows, and is still in the family's collection.

Provenance

Gimpel Fils, London;

Dennis Lennon, acquired from Molton Gallery, London, thence by descent to the previous owner

Exhibitions

London, Gimpel Fils, 'Gwyther Irwin', September 1963, cat.no.4, label attached verso