Andrew Lambirth

Feasts of colour

Gillian Ayres at 80<br /> Alan Cristea Gallery, 31 & 34 Cork Street, W1, until 13 March Claude Monet<br /> Helly Nahmad Gallery, 2 Cork Street, W1, until 26 February

issue 13 February 2010

Gillian Ayres at 80
Alan Cristea Gallery, 31 & 34 Cork Street, W1, until 13 March

Claude Monet
Helly Nahmad Gallery, 2 Cork Street, W1, until 26 February

Birthday greetings are in order for Gillian Ayres, who has just celebrated her 80th with an exhibition of new work of undiminished vigour, inventiveness and sheer uplift. One of our leading abstract artists, Ayres manages to keep on surprising us with large-scale paintings of superabundant vitality despite her own poor health, and with images of pronounced joy. However, her work is not all high spirits. The celebration of colour which distinguishes it is made with the full and certain knowledge of personal extinction (though may that moment be long delayed). Her work shines with more depth for being produced in this context, like the Pole star in the night sky. Here is no indulgent self-expression but an inquiry after basic truths that will illuminate the human condition and with luck make life more bearable.

Although Ayres is an abstract painter, this does not mean that she lives in some rarefied ivory tower, unaware of the world around her.

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