About this artwork
In 1989 Alan and his wife Bili visited Venezuela with their Venezuelan friends, Mr and Mrs Caplan. It was through the Caplans that Davie had first encountered Carib petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings, in a book by Jeannine Sujo Volsky. Davie’s interest in petroglyphs was rekindled when, in 1987, he acquired a copy of her later, larger book, ‘El Diseno en los Petroglifos Venezolanos’. In Venezuela the Davies sought out the Carib petroglyphs in the hills, spent time in Caracas, and also visited a number of villages. Davie was particularly impressed by the church graveyards which were full of votive offerings, artificial flowers and messages to the dead – all of which feature in this work.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Alan Davie (1920 - 2014) Scottish
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title:Venezuelan Souvenir [Opus G.2150]
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date created:1991
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materials:Gouache on paper
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measurements:75.60 x 56.40 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Presented by the artist 1997
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accession number:GMA 4138
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gallery:
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subject:
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artwork photographed by:Antonia Reeve
Alan Davie
Alan Davie
Davie was born in Grangemouth, near Edinburgh and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1948 he saw the work of the American Abstract Expressionists and was impressed by their intensity and freedom. He abandoned traditional methods of composition and subject matter and sought to free his art from...