As a celebration of Alan Davie’s life and work and in honour of his 90th birthday, Falkirk Council presents Alan Davie at 90, an exhibition highlighting his recent paintings. This exhibition heralds the Park Gallery’s move to Callendar House, Falkirk and runs until the 16th October.

Alan Davie was born in Grangemouth in 1920. He is recognised as a major figure in 20th century art and considered to be one of Scotland’s greatest living artists. Painter, printmaker, musician and poet, his career has spanned over 60 years with collaboration and experimentation at the very heart of it.  Alan Davie studied at Edinburgh College of Art in the late ‘30s and, after military service, earned a living by teaching and making jewellery. He was also a professional jazz musician and music continues to be important to him today. From 1947-9 he travelled throughout Europe on a travelling scholarship, meeting Peggy Guggenheim in Venice. His early work shows an affinity with European Surrealist artists and the American Abstract Expressionists (such as Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock and Joan Miro) but he began to develop a deeply personal language based on his interests in primitive art and culture, mysticism and religion as well as his activities in music, gliding and diving.  

Alan Davie’s artwork can be found in numerous international public collections including Tate Collection, London; The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam; and Museu de Arte Contemporanea, São Paulo.

The Park Gallery in Callendar House is open Mon-Sat: 10am - 5pm and Sunday: 2pm-5pm. Admission is free. More information is available from www.falkirk.gov.uk/alandavieat90