Mushroom

Gillian Ayres 1930 - 2018

Summary

This painting consists of large round shades of grey and brown, with splashes of lighter colours. The background is dark grey in the top-right corner, a shade of brown to the bottom-right, and shades of grey to the left. Gillian Ayres was one of Britain's foremost abstract painters who exploited the rich and vibrant qualities of pigment. During the 1950s Ayres was concerned with allowing the subconscious to express itself through the use of gestural brushwork. The bold, vigorous brushstrokes and splattered paint in this work demonstrate her concern to create a tension between freedom and control. The titles of her work are not necessarily descriptive but are often used to evoke an atmosphere. In a letter to the gallery dated 20/10/84 Ayres wrote "There aren't many of my paintings left from that time because I destroyed quite a number because no one wanted them and I couldn't store them. The Tate have one...I still often use those shapes - I used Ripolin Paint mostly in those days. I painted it the year my oldest son was born and we lived in the horse's stable of Strawberry House, Chiswick Mall - now pulled down".