Metavisual Tachiste Abstract was a pivotal exhibition mounted by the

Redfern Gallery The Redfern Gallery is an exhibition space in the West End of London specialising in contemporary British art. It was founded by Arthur Knyvett-Lee and Anthony Maxtone Graham in 1923 as an artists' cooperative on the top floor of Redfern Hous ...

, London in 1957. Subtitled 'Painting in England Today', Metavisual Tachiste Abstract ran from 4 April 1957 - 4 May 1957 . The exhibition was composed almost exclusively of works painterly abstraction and many of the leading British artists of the day exhibited works - including

Peter Lanyon George Peter Lanyon (8 February 1918 – 31 August 1964) was a British painter of landscapes leaning heavily towards abstraction. Lanyon was one of the most important artists to emerge in post-war Britain. Despite his early death at the age ...

Patrick Heron Patrick Heron (30 January 1920 – 20 March 1999) was a British abstract and figurative artist, critic, writer, and polemicist, who lived in Zennor, Cornwall. Heron was recognised as one of the leading painters of his generation. Influenced b ...

, Ben Nicholson, Roger Hilton, Robyn Denny, Alan Davie,

Terry Frost Sir Terence Ernest Manitou Frost RA (13 October 1915 – 1 September 2003) was a British abstract artist, who worked in Newlyn, Cornwall. Frost was renowned for his use of the Cornish light, colour and shape to start a new art movement in ...

, Sandra Blow and Gillian Ayres. The title for the exhibition was suggested by Delia Heron and the exhibition was elected by Rex Nan Kivell and Harry Tatlock Miller (advised by

), partly from artists associated with the

but also on a more inclusive basis, since their aim was to present the broadest range of works that fulfilled the criteria of the title. In June 1957 the exhibition travelled, as 'Peinture Anglaise Contemporain', to the Musée des Beaux Arts, Liege where it was augmented with work by

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

, Graham Sutherland and

Ivon Hitchens Ivon Hitchens (born London, 3 March 1893 – 29 August 1979) was an English painter who started exhibiting during the 1920s. He became part of the 'London Group' of artists and exhibited with them during the 1930s. His house was bombed in 1940 du ...

Artists in the exhibition (listed in order of catalogue)

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Ralph Rumney Ralph Rumney (5 June 1934 – 6 March 2002) was an English artist, born in Newcastle Upon Tyne. In 1957 lifelong conscientious objector Rumney - he evaded National Service by going on the run in continental Europe - was one of the co-founders o ...

(14 Works) * Paul Feiler (8 Works) *

(12 Works) * Frank Avary Wilson (10 Works) *

Derek Middleton Derek Middleton (born 30 May 1934) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender in the Football League for York City and in non-League football for Whitwick Colliery and Burton Albion Burton Albion Football Club is ...

(10 Works) *

Bryan Wynter Bryan Herbert Wynter (8 September 1915 – 2 February 1975)Denis Bowen Denis Bowen (5 April 1921 – 23 March 2006) was a South African artist, gallery director and promoter of abstract and avant-garde art in Britain. He was founder of the New Vision Group and the New Vision Centre Gallery, both of which played a ...

(11 Works) * Donal Hamilton Fraser (7 Works) *

(7 Works) *

John Coplans John Rivers Coplans (24 June 1920 – 21 August 2003) was a British artist, art writer, curator, and museum director. A veteran of World War II and a photographer, he emigrated to the United States in 1960 and had many exhibitions in Europe and ...

(10 Works) *

Rodrigo Moynihan (Herbert George) Rodrigo MoynihanBurke's Landed Gentry 1970, pg 876 (17 October 1910 – 6 November 1990) was an English painter, credited with being a pioneer of abstract painting in England. Early life Moynihan was born in Santa Cruz de Tene ...

(6 Works) * Gillian Ayres (15 Works) * Alan Davie (6 Works) * Henry Cliffe (13 Works) * Roger Hilton (11 Works) * Gwyther Irwin (8 Works) * William Gear (10 Works) *

Clifford Ellis Clifford Wilson Ellis (1907–1985) was a British printmaker, painter, designer and art teacher. Ellis is notable both for the work he did for the Recording Britain project during the Second World War and for his role in the development of art t ...

(8 Works) *

Peter Kinley Peter Kinley (16 July 1926 - 1988) was a British artist. Early life and education He was born Peter Nikolaus Arthur Eduard Schwarz in Vienna on 16 July 1926. He was one of the Jewish children evacuated to England on a Kindertransport in 1938. He ...

(9 Works) * Robyn Denny (9 Works) * Sandra Blow (6 Works) * J. Milnes Smith (8 Works) *

Dorothy Bordass Dorothy Bordass (née Foster, 1905 – 1992), was a British artist. She studied at the Académie Julian in Paris under R T Mumford, and at the Heatherley School of Fine Art under Ian McNab. Bordass painted in St Ives during the later 1950s/e ...

(15 Works) *

(6 Works) *

Cliff Holden Cliff Holden FCSD (12 December 1919 – 20 April 2020) was a British painter, designer, and silk-screen printer. Holden was born in Manchester, England in December 1919 and educated at Wilmslow Modern School, followed by Reaseheath School of Ag ...

(13 Works) *

Ian Stephenson Ian Stephenson (11 January 1934 – 25 August 2000) was an English abstract artist. Stephenson trained at King's College, Durham

(5 Works) * Ben Nicholson (4 Works) * Adrain Heath (7 Works) * Victor Pasmore (4 Works) * Roger Barr (13 Works)

References

* Sutton, Denys ed. (1957) ''Metavisual Tachiste Abstract-Painting in England Today''. exh. cat. Redfern Gallery, London

External links

Redfern Gallery
20th-century English painters