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David Evans:
The Snack Bar
Unmounted (ref: 8152)
Signed Watercolour
22 x 29 1/4 in. (56 x 74 cm)
Tags: David Evans watercolour leisure men David Evans (1929-1988) — The Period Charm of Thatcher's Britain
Provenance: The Artist's Studio
Many of his subjects evolve around days out: Reptile House (1979); Aquarium; The Natural History Museum (1978); Figures on a beach and sporting activities: Cricketers (1981) Pool Players (1981-2); Rugby; Skaters (1979); Gymnasts; Bike Rally. Spectacles were a favourite subject: Stadium Crowd (1988); Theatre Audience (1980); Night at the Opera; First Floor Foyer; Live at the New Roxy (1978); Live at the New Tree; The Great Corelli; Tracy’s Disco-Bar (1979); The Crystal Room (1980); Madam Noys; Street Theatre; Horror Film (1988). Fun fairs were the subject of at least three compositions: Dodgems (1976), New Improved Ghost Train (1981-2); Fundrome (1979)Nocturnal scenes were also favourite subjects: Night Flight; Night Landscape II (1979); Nocturnal (1979); Fireworks(1988); City Lights. Evans rejoiced especially in painting an often exclusively male milieu: Men’s Hairdressing (1979); Turkish Baths (1981-82); Club Night II (1988).CAT. 24 – Life Drawing Class, pen & ink on paper, 22 x 29 ½ in. (56 x 75 cm).
Music was a lifelong passion for Evans, both classical and pop, which he explored through the record shop he ran in London and attending concerts, especially to see Pete Gage perform. Titles including, Al Ziggy and Trev (1980), Buskers (1979); To the strains of piped Grieg; Choral Symphony (1981-2); Music Underground (1981-2); “Devil’s Trill” Sonata; Grosse Nachtmusik. Evans frequently alluded to the similarities between art and music and each of his works was given an Opus number.
In Evans' paintings there are clear generational influences, from Keith Vaughan (1912-1977), by whom Evans was taught, to Peter Blake (b.1932), David Hockney (b.1937), Alan Reynolds (1926-2014), Lucian Freud (1922-2011), Francis Bacon (1909-1992), Graham Sutherland (1903-1980), Edward Burra and Eduardo Paolozzi (1924-2005).
