“Fresh colour, an exacting sense of design, technical skill and an inventive and restless mind... an exquisitely rendered body of work and a rare pleasure to experience.” Dr Janet McKenzie, Studio International October 2012.
"ROBB is also interested in religious iconography and artefacts, casting a curious eye initially in Europe and South America and more recently ,India. The removal of context and recreation through painting and drawing, heightens any ambiguity in his subject. This heightening of artistic distance, the opposite of expressionism, allows religiosity and kitsch, pathos and humour, spirituality and crudity to coexist in a world that the artist makes deliberately resistant to direct interpretation." Guy Peploe 2017 The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh.
Alan Robb (b. 24th February 1946, Glasgow) is a Scottish painter. He relies on reference material, he works from found objects and makes models. Robb has amassed countless images from various sources which later helps him compose his paintings. Reviewing the resulting body of work, it seems like a circular journey, based on intuitive choices and a growing understanding of what an artist can do. The motivation and momentum comes from a myriad of minor nuances which give each work its resolved identity.
KEY PUBLICATIONS, CURATIONS AND LECTURES
A Painted World. ISBN 0-900344-62-8, 2012.
In the Minds Eye. ISBN 1 899837 08 62005, I996.
The House of Miracles. ISBN 1 899837 485.
ART in CONTEXT Conference Birmingham,1990.
Public Art the Educational Dimension, invited speaker.
2002 NAFE conference Tate Britain /Clore Theatre Achieving a Balance– a paper on the relationship between Teaching and Research in our Art Colleges and the Arts and Humanities Research Board, main speaker.
KEY EXHIBITIONS AND COMMISSIONS
2017. First The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh with Robb , Howard , Cocker .
2014 Alan Robb The Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh, solo exhibition.
2012 A Painted World, McManus Galleries Dundee, a retrospective.
2006 Ayermanyana? Yestermorrow, Fondacion Antonio Saura, Cuenca, Spain, invited artist.
2005 House of Miracles, East West Gallery, London, solo exhibition.
1999 Invention ,Illusion and Reality, East West Gallery, London, solo exhibition.
1998 I Live Now, Academy Gallerie Utrecht, Centre Space DCA with Ian Howard and Derrick Guild.
1997/9 True Knowledge, East West Gallery, solo exhibition.
1996 Seagate Gallery – Artspace, Peacock, Aberdeen, solo exhibition.
1996 Bruton St. Gallery, London, with William Crozier.
1994 5 Scottish Artists, Centre D’Art en L’Isle, Geneva.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
McManus Galleries & Museums Dundee Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork Arts Council of Ireland Arts Council of Northern Ireland Arts in Fife Grays School of Art, Aberdeen University of Dundee Hunterian, Glasgow University Royal College of Art, London Annie Hughhill Trust, The Royal Academy, London HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Montgomery Securities, New York Fleming Wyfold Foundation, London
Also in private collections in the UK, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany and US
- Alan Robb, 1977, Could Be Continued, Acrylic on Canvas 214 x 122 cm
- Alan Robb, Inside Out, 1977, Acrylic on canvas, 76 x 71 cm
- Alan Robb, Outside In, 1977, Acrylic on canvas, 76 x 71 cm
- Alan Robb, 2011 (1979-81), Clip Strip, Acrylic on Canvas 183 x 166 cm
- Alan Robb, 1979-80, L'oiseau De Paix, Acrylic on Canvas 184 x 184 cm
- Alan Robb, 1980, Safe and Sane, Acrylic on Canvas, diameter 48" 122 cm
- Alan Robb, 1980-81, My Move, Acrylic on Canvas 184 x 130 cm
- Alan Robb, Palitoys, 1982, Watercolour/gouache, 66 x 46 cm
- Alan Robb, Digital Surf With Purist Symbols, 1988-89, Acrylic on canvas, 122 x 153 cm
- Alan Robb, 1993-94, I am What I Know, Oil on Linen 154 x 184 cm
- Alan Robb, Lagos, 1994, Watercolour/gouache, 72 x 50 cm
- Alan Robb, Juicy Fruits, 1996, Oil on board, 15.5 x 15.5 cm
- Alan Robb, Roman Villa, 1999, Oil on linen, 50 x 50 cm
- Alan Robb, 1999-2000, I Live Now, Oil on Linen, 168 x 184 cm
- Alan Robb, Chapel San Donino, 2002, Oil on linen, 60 x 60 cm
- Alan Robb, Ex Votos, 2003-04, Oil on linen, 60 x 60 cm
- Alan Robb, Ze Pelintra, St. Jorge and His Dragon, 2003-08, Oil on linen, 152 x 152 cm
- Alan Robb, St. Lucie, 2004, Watercolour, 26 x 20 cm
- Alan Robb, St. Peter, 2004, Watercolour, 26 x 20 cm
- Alan Robb, Crucifix of the Artisans, 2004, Watercolour, 26 x 20 cm
- Alan Robb, Oxumare/Snakeboy, 2005, Drawing, 66 x 70 cm
- Alan Robb, 2005, St Sebastian Of The Big Arrows, Watercolour/Gouache, 46 x 36cm
- Alan Robb, Exu and Pomba, 2005, Watercolour, 26 x 20 cm
- Alan Robb, 2005-08, Pomba Gira, Rainha Das Sete Encruzilhades Et Ze, Oil on Linen, 182 x 182 cm
- Alan Robb, Night Orchid, 2006, Mixed media, 40 x 35 cm
- Alan Robb, Oxumare 1, 2007, Watercolour, 26 x 20 cm
- Alan Robb, Pomba Gira Los Palmeiras, 2006, Mixed media, 45 x 38 cm
- Alan Robb, Brasil, The Taste of Blood, 2005-08, Oil on linen, 168 x 182 cm
- Alan Robb, 2008, Ex Votos Brasil, Screenprint - Edition of 25, 60 x 60 cm
- Alan Robb, Yemanja and the Indian, 2008, Acrylic on board, 56 x 42 cm
- Alan Robb, Ex Votos Brasil, 2008, Charcoal drawing, 60 x 60 cm
- Alan Robb, Loganede / Transgender, 2008, Watercolour, 26 x 20 cm
- Alan Robb, Black Virgin, Cosmas, Damian and Doun, 2008, Acrylic on board, 56 x 42 cm
- Alan Robb, Venus Pomba, 2008, Oil on canvas, 56 x 42 cm
- Alan Robb, Venus Pomba Gira and Roman, 2008, Watercolour/ Gouache, 71 x 51 cm
- Alan Robb, Oxala/Jesus, 2008, Acrylic on board, 56 x 42 cm
- Alan Robb, 2009-10, Brother David's Last Mission, Acrylic on Canvas 214 x 244 cm
- Alan Robb, Snakeboy, 2010, Acrylic on board, 22 x 15 cm
- Alan Robb, Toasted Susy, 2012, Acrylic on canvas, 54 x 48 cm
- Alan Robb, Barnacle Bill the Sailor, 2012, Acrylic on Board, 26 x 20cm
- Alan Robb, 2013, A Chance Encounter, Acrylic on Linen, 96 x 76 cm
- Alan Robb, 2013, Toy Corner, Evening Blue, Acrylic on Linen, 76 x 76 cm
- Alan Robb, 2014, Bang Bang Blue, Acrylic on Linen 101 x 101 cm
- Alan Robb, 2015, Ganesha and Parvati, Drawing, Charcoal/graphite on a gesso ground and watercolour, 108 x 86 cm
- Alan Robb, 2015, Om Elephant Temple No 1, Acrylic /Oil on Linen, 183 x 153 cm
- Alan Robb, Om Elephant Temple Triptych 2, Acrylic on Linen, 183 x 426 cm
- Alan Robb, 2016, Om Elephant Temple Triptych 3, Acrylic on Linen, 76 x 229 cm