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Peter Lanyon Biography
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born on the 8th February 1918 in St. Ives, Cornwall, the only son of Herbert Lanyon, a semi-professional musician and photographer
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Following a private education at Clifton College near Bristol, Lanyon enrolled at Penzance School of Art in 1936
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In 1937 he met Adrian Stokes, whose writing and aesthetic theories dramatically affected his work
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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
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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'
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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. From 1957-60 he ran an art school, St Peter’s Loft at St. Ives with Terry Frost and William Redgrave
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. In 1957 he visited New York for a one-men exhibition at the Catherine Viviano Gallery, where he met Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell
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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
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. From 1957-60 he ran an art school, St Peter’s Loft at St. Ives with Terry Frost and William Redgrave
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. In 1957 he visited New York for a one-men exhibition at the Catherine Viviano Gallery, where he met Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell
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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
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| Selected Exhibitions |
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1992
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Air, Land and Sea, South Bank Centre, London, Arts Council, touring exhibition
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1991
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Bernard Jacobson Gallery, London, Peter Lanyon: Landscapes 1946-1964; Gillian Jason Gallery, London, Peter Lanyon: Works on Paper
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1984 - 1985
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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
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1983
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New Art Centre, London; Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall; Gimpel Fils, London, Peter Lanyon : Works 1946-1964
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1981
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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
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1978
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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
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1975
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Gimpel Fils, London; New Art Centre, London
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1970 - 1971
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Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol and Park Square Gallery, Leeds
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1968
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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
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1964
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Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York; Gimpel and Hanover Gallery, Zurich
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1963
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Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio Texas; Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
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1962
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Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York; Sail Loft, St. Ives; Gimpel Fils, London
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1961
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VI Sao Paulo Bienale, Brazil
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1958 - 1960
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Gimpel Fils, London
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1959
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Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
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1957
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Catherine Viviano Gallery, New York
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1955
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City Museum and Art Gallery, Plymouth
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1952 - 1954
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Gimpel Fils, London
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1949
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Lefevre Gallery, London
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| Links to further information |
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