About this artwork

This is one of several drawings Alan Davie made in the early 1950s using a twig dipped in ink as his drawing tool. He later recalled that the technique may have been inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s drawings. He approached these works by entering a Zen-like state: emptying his mind, to be as blank as the sheet of paper. By prioritising the body’s physical gestures over decisive thought, Davie entered a liberating state of unconscious creation. This allowed new ideas to emerge with an energetic spontaneity. At this time in his career, Davie was profoundly influenced by the work of Paul Klee.

Published September 2022

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Alan Davie

Alan Davie