John Hoyland: The Last Paintings

In the decade before his death, John Hoyland painted elegies to departed artist friends and tributes to artistic forebears, celebrating life with defiance and vitality. This publication explores his paintings, including his final series, the Mysteries, with essays by Natalie Adamson, David Anfam, Matthew Collings, and Mel Gooding. It discusses his veneration of Vincent van Gogh, connections to J.M.W. Turner, use of black, risk, and development of cosmic visual language.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 01 July 2021
Publisher: Ridinghouse

In the decade preceding his passing in 2011, John Hoyland embarked on a profound exploration of mortality. Facing his own imminent end, he created elegiac paintings in tribute to his departed artist friends and celebrated the illustrious artistic forebears who had inspired him. While the imagery of the void looms large, it is a void confronted with defiant energy and vitality, more a celebration of life than a contemplation of its end. This publication delves into the paintings Hoyland produced during this transformative decade, encompassing his final series, The Mysteries.

Contributions from Natalie Adamson, David Anfam, Matthew Collings, and Mel Gooding provide a comprehensive and multifaceted analysis of Hoyland's intricate body of work. The essays explore various aspects of Hoyland's artistic journey, including his profound reverence for Vincent van Gogh, his connections to J.M.W. Turner, his innovative use of black as a color, his audacious deployment of risk, and his relentless attempts to subvert his own taste. Furthermore, they shed light on his development of the cosmic visual language that characterized Abstract Expressionists.

The book is lavishly illustrated, enhancing our understanding of Hoyland's late work within the broader context of modern painting. It serves as a testament to his enduring legacy and his profound contribution to the art world.

Weight: 1602g
Dimension: 253 x 312 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781909932623