Abstract painter Robyn Denny (1930 – 2014) was one of the hip and talented artists to have emerged from the Royal College of Art (where he studied in the 50s), writes Peter Knock.
Robyn Denny, early 60s. Photo- Bernard Jacobson Gallery
Great Big Biggest Wide London, Denny’s mural for Austin Reed’s Regent Street store, conveyed classic 1960s new age optimism, and received the ultimate seal of approval as a piece defining of its era when The Beatles asked to be photographed standing in front of it in 1963.
Golem I 1957-8 Robyn Denny born 1930 Purchased 1972
Collage (Austin Reed, Version I)
Life Line I 1963 Robyn Denny born 1930 Purchased 1965
Markedly different in scale (Denny’s work could be fairly large) the language of his pieces shared much with the paintings of Josef Albers. I enjoyed Denny’s symmetrically composed, highly considered colour palette, paintings and prints; they possessed a terrific overall sense of calm and mystery.
![[no title] 1970](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Robyn-Denny-no-title-1970.jpg)
[no title] 1970
Word Row 1957 Robyn Denny born 1930 Presented by the artist 1973
Robyn Denny, Baby is Three, 1960
Robyn Denny Generations 17 Etching & aquatint
There are 85 Denny works in the Tate collection – view them here.
Read Tom Overton on Denny on the British Council’s website here.
Visit Peter Knock’s site here.
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