Ivon Hitchens exhibition at the Garden Museum: A celebration of the English country garden

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Lizzie Thomson8 May 2019

British artist Ivon Hitchens was famous for translating the joy of an English country garden onto the canvas, and his work is now focus of a new exhibition at the Garden Museum in Lambeth.

The show shines a light on the life of the painter, who is known for abstract and colourful works of his Sussex garden, and focuses on his love of the great outdoors.

Ivon Hitchens: Painter in the Woods follows the artist's story through his vibrant works, showcasing how he constantly sought new perspectives on the natural world. The exhibition combines paintings from public collections including the National Gallery of Scotland and the Whitworth Gallery, as well as previously unseen pieces from private collections.

During the Second World War, Hitchens’ house in Hampstead suffered serious bomb damage, resulting in him and his family moving into a small caravan in West Sussex, which stood on six acres of land. This surrounding area of their new home, which they called Greenleaves, became the inspiration for Hitchens’ artworks.

The show features his Eye Music Compositions, a term he used for rectangular canvas with unfolding narratives as the eye “listens” to the paintings. This series covers meadows, flowers and woodlands, all of which are depicted in vibrant colours.

Standout works on display at the Garden Museum include Hitchens’ painting Composition Wildflowers — a piece that is widely believed to be unfinished due to the fact that pencil can be seen through. It’s also great example of Hitchens’ careful, strategic mastery, showing how he planned his composition after carefully observing his subject.

Likewise, the painting Winter Walk stars in the show. Hitchens liked using these long canvases as he believed they helped read the landscape from left to right — like reading music. He said in 1946: “in landscape I find a square-shaped painting usually unsatisfactory because the natural flow of the horizontals is checked. Therefore I often use a long shape.”

Other pieces to look out for include Pink Lily No.3, Irises — Greenleaves, Studio with Open Doors and Flowers, Red and Gold.

Ivon Hitchens: Painter in the Woods opens today, May 8, and runs until July 15, 5 Lambeth Palace Rd, SE1 7LB, gardenmuseum.org.uk

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