ANDREW LANYON

Contemporary Artist

Born: 1947, St Ives, Cornwall, England.

The son of artist Peter Lanyon, Andrew Lanyon was raised in West Cornwall.

Although educated at Port Regis and Bryanston, Lanyon was mainly brought up in his grandfather’s converted darkroom in St Ives. From an early age, he developed and printed his own photographs made using a battered Leica and other improvised equipment. He was influenced by the acute observation of Man Ray, and Cartier Bresson. As a student, he visited Man Ray in his Paris studio and took a portrait of him. On seeing the print, Man Ray declared it was the photograph of himself he liked the most.

Lanyon studied at the London School of Film Technique and for several years made experimental surrealist-inspired films before starting to publish his own books in 1987. His work is in public and private collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, and The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Today, although he still photographs, he is best known for his paintings and books, many of which contain his photographs.