Remembering David Anfam, curator, writer and Abstract Expressionism connoisseur

He had a peculiar love of precious stone, and painting on jewel, and an almost child-like pleasure in all things James Bond. Yet despite his numerous passions, and his much friends, David clearly profoundly, and daily, missed his life-partner Fred, whose memory and assistance he typically evoked.

I was fortunate to ultimately fulfill David prior to the pandemic– one last workshop go to prior to lockdown for both of us– and we stayed in touch over the weird year or so that followed, bonding over paint, naturally, yet likewise a shared love of T. S. Eliot, and after that, much less gladly, our simultaneous cancer cells diagnoses throughout those isolated months.

In the workshop, David presented a quickly gracious yet sartorially unlikely number, and his treatment in action to my work was both generous and considered. The text he subsequently created for my exhibit at Vigo Gallery in 2015, was, when it came, traditional David– a accurate and erudite pulling together of myriad cultural threads, the afterthoughts nearly as long as the message, and each delightfully individual in tone.

Over the adhering to years, his ongoing expeditions of 20th-century American art, from his catalogue raisonnée of Mark Rothko (1998 )– nearly a years in the writing– to his essential work at the Clyfford Still Gallery, both previous to and after its opening in 2011, cemented his reputation as a crucial number in the area.

I personally can’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware of his job. His publication on Abstract Expressionism for the Thames and Hudson Globe of Art collection became a staple from its first magazine in 1990. Over the complying with years, his continued explorations of 20th-century American art, from his catalogue raisonnée of Mark Rothko (1998 )– almost a years in the writing– to his crucial work at the Clyfford Still Museum, both previous to and after its opening in 2011, cemented his reputation as a necessary number in the field.

David had become an avid texter in recent times– he appeared to delight in the immediacy of this created discussion, specifically as he came to be much more difficult of hearing. In in between our periodic dinners I would get quick updates on his trips– to his precious Italy, to New York City, Mexico and of course Daugavpils. He seemed at times perplexed by both the present art market and gallery scene, however took as much pleasure as ever in individuals, in good food, in very particular gewurztraminers, and in an obsessive re-organising of his publication collection.

A graduate of the Courtauld Institute (his PhD dissertation under John Golding was on the work of Still), he was very much a traditional scholar, extensive and taken into consideration, with a love and regard for the written word that was constantly obvious in his own substantial and diverse manufacturing, as well as during has job as a commissioning editor at Phaidon. David functioned closely with musicians, writing and curating for contemporaries such as Lynda Benglis and Costs Viola, and most just recently Piero Dorazio. David had actually come to be a passionate texter in recent years– he appeared to enjoy the immediacy of this created dialogue, particularly as he ended up being much more difficult of hearing.

David functioned carefully with musicians, writing and curating for contemporaries such as Lynda Benglis and Costs Viola, and most lately Piero Dorazio. Similarly he never was reluctant to reveal up in support of those artists he championed when it mattered, and he took a trip thoroughly to that end to the last.

An alumnus of the Courtauld Institute (his PhD dissertation under John Golding was on the job of Still), he was extremely a lot a traditional scholar, strenuous and taken into consideration, with a love and regard for the written word that was constantly noticeable in his own extensive and varied manufacturing, as well as throughout has job as an appointing editor at Phaidon. He functioned over the program of his life with any kind of number of major institutions and galleries, curating programs such as the widely ambitious study of Abstract Expressionism held at the Royal Academy in London in 2016.

David Anfam, scholar, gentleman, wordsmith, epicurean, passed away last Wednesday (21 August) in London. Far-flung and enduring have his achievements in the field of art history been that it is tough to understand that he was still just 69 at the time of his death.

I dined with David one last time at the beginning of summer– he was simply back from Venice, in excellent humour, full of tasks, and usually avidly curious concerning his fellow guests and all elements of their lives. His brilliant mind was constantly looking for connections with and throughout techniques.