PROFILE

Alan Young studied illustration at the Royal College of Art. The inclusion of eight of his paintings in the European Illustration Annual attracted commissions from major magazines in Canada, Germany, the USA as well as in the UK.

But he has always concentrated on personal work, writing, painting and reportage: over the past few years he has been an eye-witness at cock fighting events in Belgium and France, making drawings in a situation where cameras are not tolerated. The first results of this research were published in the journal, Ambit, which has also featured his translations and illustrations for the poetry of the Finnish modernist, Edith Södergran. He has spent four summers painting and taking photographs in Finland and Russian Karelia, exploring the balance there between culture and wilderness.

A fascination with place and memory informs the work he makes around his home in Kent and in the Brecon Beacons which he returns to year after year. His paintings, illustrations and prints have been exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions.

EXHIBITIONS:

2020
Group show: Nordic Connections in Watercolour, y Gaer, Brecon
Group show: Attic Gallery, Swansea
Group show: Galleria Torre Civica AIA, Chiavari, Genoa
Found Gallery, Brecon

Member of the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales

2017
Group show: Nordic House, Reykjavic
Group show: Theatr Clwyd, Mold, Flintshire
Group show: Oriel Cric, Crickhowell

2016
Group show: Kooywood Gallery, Cardiff
Group show: Mid Wales Art Centre, Caersws
Tower Gallery, Crickhowell

2015
Group show: Oriel Ceri Richards, Swansea University
Group show: Tenby Museum & Art Gallery

2014
Group show: Discover the Valleys, Cyfarthfa Castle Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil
Group show: Oriel Cric, Crickhowell, Powys

2013
Group show: Discover the Valleys, Ty Bedwellty, Tredegar
Group show: MOMA (Wales), Machynlleth, Powys
Group show: The Lion Street Gallery, Hay-on-Wye

2012
Group show: Attic Gallery, Swansea
Group show: Oriel Ceri Richards, Swansea University

2011
Group show: ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
Group show: The Lion Street Gallery, Hay-on-Wye
Group show: Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy
Group show: Swansea Grand Theatre

2010
Group show: Newport Museum & Art Gallery
Group show: Swansea Museum & Art Gallery

2009
Group show: 50 Years of Watercolour Painting in Wales,
The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
Group show: The Taliesin Gallery, Swansea University
Group show: The Seventeen Plus, Printmaking, Bankside Gallery, London
Group show: Stad yr Ystad/State of the Estate, Penpont House, Brecon

2008
Group show: MOMA (Wales), Machynlleth, Powys
Group show: 25 Years of Brecon Jazz, Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery
Group show: Printing Tracks/Digital Tracks, Bankside Gallery, London
Group show: Theatr Mwidan, Cardigan

2007
Group show: Swansea Grand Theatre
Group show: Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery, Brecon
Painting purchased by the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

2006
Solo Show: George Rodger Gallery, UCCA, Maidstone College
Group Show: Royal Cambrian Gallery, Conwy
Group Show: St David’s Hall, Cardiff

2005
Group Show: Rob Piercy Gallery, Porthmadoc
Group Show: Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran
Group Show: Air Gallery, Dover Street, London
RCA SECRET exhibition, Gulbenkian Galleries, London
Artist’s Book: my translations of poetry by Edith Södergran + images:
Litho on mould-made paper. Edition of 50

2004
Solo Show: Coningsby Gallery, London
2 Man Show: WD2, Lion Street, Brecon
Solo Show: Voice, Place, Translation – Edith Södergran, George Rodger Gallery, Maidstone

2003
Arts & Humanities Research Board Award
IMAGES 27 Annual & Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2002
DACS Exhibition CISAC World Congress, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster, London
International Exhibition of Design, Beijing, China

2001
Art & Science Exhibition, National Museum of Fine Art, Beijing, China.
PROOF Printmaking exhibition, George Rodger Gallery

2000
Illustration for Independent on Sunday 
“Good Drawings” Boundary Gallery, London.
CDAK International Exhibition of the Digital Arts, Seoul, Korea.
Images 24 Exhibition: Royal College of Art, London.
The Silver Tassie; Nixon in China; The Prisoner: 3 exhibitions at the
London Coliseum.
Music of Mark-Anthony Turnage, prints, R.K.Burt Gallery, London.

1999
AMBIT 156 journal, Alan Young’s translations of poems by Edith Södergran & five inkjet prints.
Images 23 Exhibition: Royal College of Art & U.K. tour.

1998
Research Grants awarded by KIAD:
1. Investigation of Cock Fighting in Nord-Pas-de-Calais
2. Finnish Research Project: contact with University of Art and Design, Helsinki, & Creative Project.
AMBIT 151 journal, Text & Images: "Cock Fighting in Belgium & France".
"Blood on the Floor" Book Project, Royal Festival Hall & Printmaking Exhibition, St John's Waterloo & essay: "Music into Image: Equivocal Affinities".
Entry in "The Dictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945", David Buckman (ed).

1996
Images 20 Annual (with Creative Review) & Exhibition, George Rodger Gallery.

1994-95
Exhibitions at William Blake House, London: "A House for William Blake" &
"The Genitals are Beauty".

1985-93
Solo Shows: 1. Drew Gallery, Canterbury. 2. St Julian's, Sevenoaks. 3. Trinity Arts Centre, Tunbridge Wells. 4. George Rodger Gallery, Maidstone.

1992
"Border Country" Kilvert Gallery, Clyro (2 Man Show).
"Mythologies" Brixton Gallery.

1991
England & Co, Winter Show.

1988-90
"Personal Mythologies" (3 Man Touring Exhibition) Herbert Read Gallery, Canterbury; George Rodger Gallery, Maidstone; Flaxman Gallery, Staffordshire University.

1989
Rye Art Gallery, "Private Myths".

1968-94
Many group exhibitions including "The City" Association of Illustrators Gallery, 1983. European Illustration touring shows, London, Paris, Bath, Hull 1986-91.

1968-77
Poetry: "Lord Bone & Other Landscapes" Lion & Unicorn Press, "A Bomb Inside the Hill" Outposts Publications, "House on the Eastern  Shore" Maidstone College of Art.

CONTACT

Alan Young   |   telephone: 01732 810652   |   mail@alanyoung.net

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