Andrew LANYON
Andrew Lanyon is an artist son of the esteemed St Ives and Newlyn artist George Peter LANYON, and grandson of Herbert LANYON, the important photographer-recorder of the St Ives colony of artists from the earliest days. Andrew wears this family mantel with great wit and charm, creating pithy and witty works of art in sculpture, found objects and collages, and tells their stories in fiction laced with allegory. His work, both in books and in various media forms, is eagerly sought by collectors and museums.
Von Ribbentrop in St Ives is an exhibition and a book by Andrew Lanyon. The exhibition is at at Kettles Yard, Cambridge, until 18 September, 2011. It includes works by Andrew Lanyon, his father, Alfred WALLIS, Ben NICHOLSON, Alexander Calder and Naum GABO, archival material, interactive models and specially commissioned works by Paul CHANEY, Kenny Everett, Olly Hadfield, Chris JAMES, Sam LANYON, Peter MATES, Debbie PROSSER, Paul SPOONER, Stella TURK and Carlos ZAPATA.
Andrew's biography of his father is a masterpiece of handwork, with over a hundred tipped-in illustrations and personal touches. A list is currently being prepared of all of his publications, many of which are catalogued into the WCAA collection by donation.
In 2010, at Kestle Barton on the Lizard, Andrew presented a solo show of installations, paintings, writings with an accompanying book, Von Ribbentrop in St Ives, Art and War in the Last Resort. Following the opening, a show consisting of home-made films, videos, accompanying and specially written songs, and a fascinating lecture by historian and author Frederick Taylor (Dresden 2004: Bloomsbury Publ) completed the 'exhibition experience'. Andrew is expert at the full multi-media presentation of the art in life, and the lives in art and history. Without doubt, he is the most unusual and original talent in West Cornwall today (and perhaps in the universe...ed. & Lionel Miskin agrees: we reely, reely like him!)
media
Artist-photographer, draughtsman, writer and publisher; collagist and installation artist; maker of automata: multi-media
works and access
Works include: Suffering Art Fatigue: Priceless Works Revert to Useful Objects (2003, mixed media on board, Falmouth); Text leaves the page, flowing outdoors to mingle with that brittle dust so long associated with time and philosophers toes-sand (2003, inscribed)
Access to works: The New Craftsman, St Ives Andrew and Matthew Lanyon Works, 2010;
Kestle Barton, St Keverne: Postcards from Von Ribbentrop (with accompanying book) 2010
exhibitions
NAG: Solo exhibitions 1978, 1983; Art Share 1988; 'Critics Choice' 1991
'A Century of Art in Cornwall 1889-1989', Truro, CCC Centenery
WCAA Founding Art Auction (2004), Queen's Hotel (Donor)
Goldfish Gallery, Penzance 2006
Stoneman Gallery, Penzance
New Craftsman, St Ives
Kestle Barton Gallery, The Lizard 2010: Von Ribbentrop and St Ives, an expanded version of which travelling to London and Cambridge (Kettle's Yard) in 2011
2024: Truro School Art Collection, Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro (30 Jan-18 May)
memberships
NSA 1995 list; resigned.
references
BBC4 (2010) Programmed comments: Art of Cornwall (series reviewing St Ives' artist community amongst international colonies)
Cross (2002) Catching the Wave (photo likeness & illus)
Hardie (1995) 100 Years in Newlyn/Diary of a Gallery;
History of Photography Oct-Dec 84
Public Catalogue Foundation (2007) Oil Paintings in Public Ownership in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (p18 illus)
Von Ribbentrop and St Ives (2010), Kestle Barton Publication
WCAA files incl: publication lists, an incomplete collection of his books and films.
Counterart
Anti-Lit
Art Seeds
The Fairy Cake
How to Tell Fake Fairy Cakes
The Vegetable Plot
Xan Si Drinks the Sea
Abondoned Filling Station
Lionel Miskin's Ineffable Passion
Dying for Eternity (with 15 minute video);
& so on & on & on