John Tunnard ARA
John Tunnard ARA
1900 - 1971
Born in Sandy, Bedfordshire; Died in Penzance, Cornwall
Painter of surrealist scenes, abstract compositions, landscapes and marine subjects; also a teacher and designer of textiles.
John Tunnard studied design at the Royal College of Art between 1919 and 1923 and, on completion, worked as a designer for a number of carpet and textile firms until 1929. Tunnard also secured a part-time design teaching position at London’s Central School in 1929. That same year Tunnard began to paint with real enthusiasm and, as a result, took him to Cornwall where he became a frequent visitor during the early 1930s. In 1933 Tunnard and his wife, Mary Robertson, moved permanently to Cornwall.
Tunnard exhibited widely throughout Britain and Europe. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1931 (showing three pictures) and held his first one-man show at the Redfern Gallery in 1933. Tunnard also exhibited with artist groups such as the London Group. During the mid-1930s the art movement Surrealism had emerged as Europe's dominating artistic force and Tunnard quickly associated himself with many of Britain's leading Surrealist voices including the art critic Herbert Read (1893-1968), the painter Julian Trevelyan (1910-1988) and the sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986). Tunnard’s work closely resembled that of Spanish artist Joan Miró (1893-1983) where he introduced into his paintings abstract forms taken from his imagination and the natural world. Tunnard's landscapes and marine scenes were suddenly treated with a new, vital modern sensibility, exploring his fascinations with technology, science and nature. During the late 1930s Tunnard reached the high-point in his artistic career and in 1939 held a well-received one-man show at Guggenheim Jeune, a London art gallery which specialised in surrealist and abstract art.
During WWII Tunnard was a conscientious objector and avoided contributing to the national military war effort. He became a member of the auxiliary coastguard but still found time to continue his painting. After the war Tunnard taught at the Penzance School of Art (1945-65) and in 1951, at the Festival of Britain, he was commissioned to paint a mural for the Regatta restaurant. During the 1960s Tunnard again exhibited works at the Royal Academy and became an associate in 1967.
Tunnard’s work is widely revered for its rhythm and harmony between line, colour and abstract forms. He combines abstract elements with references to naturally occurring forms such as plant life and insects. His interest in jazz music is a noticeable feature in many of his abstract and surreal works.
Tunnard is represented by a number of public collections including the Arts Council, British Council, Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Government Art Collection, Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge), and The Ingram Collection of Modern and Contemporary British Art. Other regional collections include those in Aberdeen, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle, and Wolverhampton, among others. International collections include the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York.
Benjamin Angwin – October 2014
Painter of surrealist scenes, abstract compositions, landscapes and marine subjects; also a teacher and designer of textiles.
John Tunnard studied design at the Royal College of Art between 1919 and 1923 and, on completion, worked as a designer for a number of carpet and textile firms until 1929. Tunnard also secured a part-time design teaching position at London’s Central School in 1929. That same year Tunnard began to paint with real enthusiasm and, as a result, took him to Cornwall where he became a frequent visitor during the early 1930s. In 1933 Tunnard and his wife, Mary Robertson, moved permanently to Cornwall.
Tunnard exhibited widely throughout Britain and Europe. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1931 (showing three pictures) and held his first one-man show at the Redfern Gallery in 1933. Tunnard also exhibited with artist groups such as the London Group. During the mid-1930s the art movement Surrealism had emerged as Europe's dominating artistic force and Tunnard quickly associated himself with many of Britain's leading Surrealist voices including the art critic Herbert Read (1893-1968), the painter Julian Trevelyan (1910-1988) and the sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986). Tunnard’s work closely resembled that of Spanish artist Joan Miró (1893-1983) where he introduced into his paintings abstract forms taken from his imagination and the natural world. Tunnard's landscapes and marine scenes were suddenly treated with a new, vital modern sensibility, exploring his fascinations with technology, science and nature. During the late 1930s Tunnard reached the high-point in his artistic career and in 1939 held a well-received one-man show at Guggenheim Jeune, a London art gallery which specialised in surrealist and abstract art.
During WWII Tunnard was a conscientious objector and avoided contributing to the national military war effort. He became a member of the auxiliary coastguard but still found time to continue his painting. After the war Tunnard taught at the Penzance School of Art (1945-65) and in 1951, at the Festival of Britain, he was commissioned to paint a mural for the Regatta restaurant. During the 1960s Tunnard again exhibited works at the Royal Academy and became an associate in 1967.
Tunnard’s work is widely revered for its rhythm and harmony between line, colour and abstract forms. He combines abstract elements with references to naturally occurring forms such as plant life and insects. His interest in jazz music is a noticeable feature in many of his abstract and surreal works.
Tunnard is represented by a number of public collections including the Arts Council, British Council, Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Government Art Collection, Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge), and The Ingram Collection of Modern and Contemporary British Art. Other regional collections include those in Aberdeen, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle, and Wolverhampton, among others. International collections include the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York.
Benjamin Angwin – October 2014