National Museum Wales is delighted to announce its acquisition of Crazy Gondolier (1960), a bright, jubilant painting by Scottish artist Alan Davie. The work was acquired with the generous support of the Derek Williams Trust (£30,000) and The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity (£20,000).

Alan Davie – Crazy Gondolier (1960)

Music is a theme which is often reflected in Davie’s work. He was a jazz musician and his spontaneous, energetic abstract paintings such as Crazy Gondolier are often compared to free form music.

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales already has a number of works on paper by Davie, but this is the first painting by the artist to enter its collections, and is from a particularly vibrant period of the artist’s career.

Andrew Macdonald, Acting Director of The Art Fund, said: “This lively work sums up Davie’s exuberant style, and will look even more fantastic when set to music. We’re delighted that Crazy Gondolier is on show in Cardiff and that it is now part of Wales’ permanent collections, meaning that future generations will enjoy the work of this important British artist.”

www.museumwales.ac.uk

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