Artist Spotlight: Arthur Lanyon

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Arthur Lanyon is a British artist born in Leicester, England in 1985. He lives and works from a studio near Penzance, Cornwall. Born in to an artistic family, his father was the painter Matthew Lanyon and his grandfather the celebrated, influential and world renowned modernist painter Peter Lanyon.

Lanyon focuses primarily on painting, creating multi-scale pieces consisting of figurative motifs and gestural marks. Commenting on his early memories of drawing, Lanyon writes that these were often ‘abstract essences of what I knew rather than realistic depictions of what I saw.’ He goes on to explain that he would then title these works with absolute certainty, despite the abstracted drawings distorting any sense of reality or recognition.

Despite his distinctive painting style, Lanyon refrains from stylistically labelling his artistic approach: 'I prefer to let the work do the talking. I’m constantly figuring out in my head and trying to verbalise my work,' states Lanyon. 

Working in collaboration with Arthur Lanyon, Knots Rugs set out to create two interpretations of Lanyon's dynamic paintings. The translation of textural brushstrokes and tonal variation within the original artwork required the producers to use a vast array of yarns in order to capture every nuance within Lanyon's painting. Upon seeing the completed rug, Lanyon stated that he was 'absolutely blown away [by the rug]... amazing! So much complexity and detail. The quality is astounding.' Comprised of decadent silk and wool yarns, the true essence of the original piece has been successfully captured by the weavers in Nepal whose artisan skill honour Lanyon's artistic vision.