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Lot 236 Property from the Estate of Col. Alex Gregory-Hood, O.B.E., M.C.
The following two lots have been in the private collection of Alex Gregory-Hood (1915-1999), founder of the Rowan Gallery, who held a key role in changing the artistic views of a post-war British public. They, along with two further lots in the 22 November Modern British Art Evening Sale, were particular favourites of his and they have remained in his family’s collection until now.
In 1958, Alex Gregory-Hood was promoted to Colonel commanding the Grenadier Guards and nominated for the Imperial Defence college, which would have led to him becoming a General at a remarkably early age. Legend has it that he asked for 30 minutes to think things over and went for a walk in St James's Park. He returned to Whitehall - and announced his intention of opening an art gallery. In due course, in 1960, he resigned his commission and two years later the Rowan Gallery opened its doors in Lowndes Street, Belgravia. The importance of the gallery in bringing new British abstract and experimental art before the public cannot be overstated (see J. Golding, The Guardian, Obituaries, 28 July 1999).
The Rowan Gallery is perhaps best remembered as the gallery that represented Bridget Riley from 1967 and later Sean Scully, (see lot **, 22 November 2017) who remains a friend of the family. Further gallery representations included Antony Donaldson; Brian Fielding; Barry Flanagan (lot 236); John Golding; Anthony Green; Paul Huxley; Phillip King; Michael Craig-Martin; Jeremy Moon; Mark Lancaster and William Tucker. He met two key Cornish artists, Roger Hilton (see lot **, 22 November 2017) and Terry Frost (lot 237) through his friendship with the sculptor Roger Leigh, studio assistant to Barbara Hepworth.
Bryan Robertson, the highly influential curator of The Whitechapel Art Gallery from 1952 to 1968 commented ‘Gregory-Hood liked to relax in the country and it was disconcerting after getting used to him as an art gallery director dressed in impeccably conventional dark suits, shirts and ties to find him sweeping into dinner in a patterned flowing kaftan worn in a highly dégagé manner over purple tights’ (see B. Robertson, The Independent, Obituaries, 14 July 1999).
The following two lots have been in the private collection of Alex Gregory-Hood (1915-1999), founder of the Rowan Gallery, who held a key role in changing the artistic views of a post-war British public. They, along with two further lots in the 22 November Modern British Art Evening Sale, were particular favourites of his and they have remained in his family’s collection until now.
In 1958, Alex Gregory-Hood was promoted to Colonel commanding the Grenadier Guards and nominated for the Imperial Defence college, which would have led to him becoming a General at a remarkably early age. Legend has it that he asked for 30 minutes to think things over and went for a walk in St James's Park. He returned to Whitehall - and announced his intention of opening an art gallery. In due course, in 1960, he resigned his commission and two years later the Rowan Gallery opened its doors in Lowndes Street, Belgravia. The importance of the gallery in bringing new British abstract and experimental art before the public cannot be overstated (see J. Golding, The Guardian, Obituaries, 28 July 1999).
The Rowan Gallery is perhaps best remembered as the gallery that represented Bridget Riley from 1967 and later Sean Scully, (see lot **, 22 November 2017) who remains a friend of the family. Further gallery representations included Antony Donaldson; Brian Fielding; Barry Flanagan (lot 236); John Golding; Anthony Green; Paul Huxley; Phillip King; Michael Craig-Martin; Jeremy Moon; Mark Lancaster and William Tucker. He met two key Cornish artists, Roger Hilton (see lot **, 22 November 2017) and Terry Frost (lot 237) through his friendship with the sculptor Roger Leigh, studio assistant to Barbara Hepworth.
Bryan Robertson, the highly influential curator of The Whitechapel Art Gallery from 1952 to 1968 commented ‘Gregory-Hood liked to relax in the country and it was disconcerting after getting used to him as an art gallery director dressed in impeccably conventional dark suits, shirts and ties to find him sweeping into dinner in a patterned flowing kaftan worn in a highly dégagé manner over purple tights’ (see B. Robertson, The Independent, Obituaries, 14 July 1999).
Barry Flanagan, R.A. (1941-2009)
pdreeoo
Closed23 November 2017
Price Realised
GBP 37,500
More Information
Specialist note
'Flanagan made a name for himself very quickly with works that remain vivid in the memory. They were original, striking, witty, surprising and distinctive in character. They were considered at the time (more or less) to be Zen, Dada, biomorphic and to be testing the limits of the medium. He has confirmed some of these interpretations, saying later, 'The shape making procedure of gravity filling a given shape was the priority ... There was a gravity filled piece looking like a pepper ... (pdreeoo) ... The nature of sculpture was being tested'' (see M. Compton, exhibition catalogue, Barry Flanagan, Venice, British Council, XL Biennale, British Pavilion, 1982, p. 17).
The title of this work, pdreeoo references the method of making (plaster pour) as well as the sound of its making - in keeping with his experimentation with pataphysics privileging 'the science of imaginary solutions' to problem solving and decision making.
We are very grateful to Jo Melvin for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.
The title of this work, pdreeoo references the method of making (plaster pour) as well as the sound of its making - in keeping with his experimentation with pataphysics privileging 'the science of imaginary solutions' to problem solving and decision making.
We are very grateful to Jo Melvin for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.