IVAN PERIES
Paintings from the Collection of David Coates
"There are few painters whose imagery combines the eye of a poet with the spirit of a mystic. Ivan Peries is one. Painting for him is a spiritual exercise, for which technique, fully mastered, becomes servant."
David Coates, 1979
We are extremely fortunate to exhibit a collection of paintings by the highly influential Sri Lankan painter Ivan Peries. These works - many of which have not been seen publicly for several decades - come from the collection of David Coates, a friend and long-time supporter of the Artist. The exhibition will open with a reception on Thursday 15 February, and runs until 8 March 2024.
The exhibition contains paintings shown at Peries' exhibitions at St Caterine's College, Oxford (1965), and at London's Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery (1966), as well as works on paper from the 1970s and '80s.
Biography:
In 1943, Ivan Peries (1921-1988) played a key role in the formation of the 43 Group. His idea to form an independent group of artists and intellectuals was supported by Lionel Wendt and Harry Pieris, with Ivan carrying out what Richard Gabriel described as 'the spade work' to get the group up and running in August that year, with the first exhibition taking place in December 1943. It is no exaggeration to say that the Group is one of the most influential in the region in the 20th century.
The artist lived in the UK from the early 1950s until his death in 1988, and held solo exhibitions throughout the UK and Europe, exhibiting at the Venice Biennale in 1956 and 1958, as well as in group shows with other members of the 43 Group in Sri Lanka and overseas. Shortly after his death his paintings were exhibited in 'The Other Story: Afro-Asian Artists in Britain', held at the Hayward Gallery in 1989 and curated by Rasheed Araeen. A highly influential figure in Sri Lanka and overseas, it is rare to find this many works together in one place.