Page 31 - Art First: Wilhelmina Barns-Graham: 2014

her com petitive and feisty resolve did lead her to paint the giant single and double
sweep ing brushstrokes in the upscale Easter Series canvases (2000–1) that includes
Easter Series, Two Brushstokes (2000) presented here. The bold simplicities of these
master ful, mini malist canvases are also found in paintings on paper, and are taken
up again in the power ful Two Brushstrokes silkscreen prints. Two other millen nial
tri umphs on canvas, both painted in 2000, are Gaia Series (Mars) I, 123 x 168.5 cm,
exhibited at Tate St Ives in 2005, and Yellow and Blue, 122 x 152.5 cm, pre sent ed
in her exhibi tion of paintings at Art First in 2001.

Where the late works evoke themes from previous decades, they lend a convin -
cing consistency to her artistic credo when seen in its entirety. Evolutions take
place over a period of years, not months, and it was never out of the question
to re-visit past motifs. The Passing Forms Series and Strung Forms from the late
1950s, for example, could be seen as precursors for the Scorpio Series and other
groups from the 1990s such as the Gaia Series, the Porthmeor Walk Series, to name
a few. There is no way of being absolutely sure that at the time she happened
to look afresh at her earlier paintings though. It is known on the other hand, that
Black Oval (1959) sparked her imagination when brought out for the 1989 City
Art Centre exhibi tion. Nonetheless Untitled (Passing Form Series) and Strung Forms
deserve closer atten tion. The manner in which the upright forms move and float
across the canvas surface is strikingly prophetic when placed beside works made
40 years later.

Whether or not visitations to her past rekindled something new, Barns-Graham’s
late paintings reveal the same, fundamental dedication to resolving the time less
problems of combining colour, shape and form that informs her entire prac tice.
But in her final decade, while in her eighties, the diversity of her creativity is truly
astounding.

The late flourish of experimentation came from her abiding resolve, her sense
of urgency, to make the very most of each day that remained.
Geoffrey Bertram

CHAIRMAN, BARNS-GRAHAM CHARITABLE TRUST