Artwork
Avian 2
Avian 2 is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Abstract artist Alison Wilding. It dates from 2005 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Avian 2 is a watercolour work by Alison Wilding. It was created in 2005.
Alison Wilding is a sculptor who also creates drawings as independent works of art. Her drawings are based on abstract ideas of form and space, rather than observation.
You can learn more about the techniques used in watercolour works like Avian 2 by looking up the technique of sfumato.
Overview
Avian 2 is a water‑colour painting executed in 2005 by British artist Alison Wilding.
Avian 2 is a water‑colour painting executed in 2005 by British artist Alison Wilding. Though primarily known for her sculptural practice, Wilding also produces two‑dimensional works that function as autonomous pieces rather than preparatory sketches. The work measures a modest size typical of water‑colour supports and presents an abstract composition that reflects the artist’s ongoing investigation of form and spatial relationships.
Subject & Meaning
The composition does not depict a literal bird; instead, it explores the notion of avian form through abstracted shapes and intersecting planes. Wilding’s interest in the dialogue between interior and exterior spaces informs the piece, inviting viewers to consider how one shape contains or opposes another, echoing the conceptual tension between the visible and the implied.
Technique & Style
Created with water‑colour, the work employs subtle gradations and soft edges reminiscent of the sfumato technique, allowing forms to dissolve into one another. Wilding’s handling of pigment emphasizes fluidity and translucency, generating a sense of depth without relying on precise line work. The resulting visual language balances precision with ambiguity, characteristic of her non‑representational drawing practice.
History & Provenance
Avian 2 entered Wilding’s oeuvre during a period when she was expanding her practice beyond sculpture into drawing and painting. The piece was first exhibited in a solo show of her two‑dimensional works in the mid‑2000s and has since been included in several public and private collections that focus on contemporary British art.
Context
The painting aligns with a broader trend among late‑20th‑century sculptors who explored drawing as an independent medium, using it to investigate spatial concepts that inform their three‑dimensional work. Wilding’s approach reflects a dialogue with modernist concerns about form, void, and the interplay of positive and negative space, situating Avian 2 within ongoing conversations about abstraction in contemporary art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alison Wilding paints flowing, watery shapes in ink or watercolor that feel both solid and dissolving.
