Frank Bowling Art

British, b. 1936

Frank Bowling, born Richard Sheridan Franklin Bowling on February 26, 1934, in Bartica, British Guiana (now Guyana), is a pioneering artist whose career has reshaped the landscape of abstract art. Renowned for his vibrant, textured paintings and groundbreaking approach to abstraction, Bowling has spent over six decades forging a unique artistic identity that bridges personal narrative, cultural history, and formal experimentation. His journey from his early days in Guyana to becoming one of the most influential figures in contemporary art is a testament to his resilience, innovation, and commitment to his craft. Bowling’s early life in British Guiana was marked by a fascination with art and storytelling, which later found expression in his work. In 1953, he moved to London, where he initially pursued a career in writing and acting before enrolling at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 1959. At the RCA, Bowling studied alongside luminaries such as David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj. Although he initially explored figurative painting, his style evolved dramatically over time. He graduated in 1962, earning the prestigious Silver Medal for his work, and quickly established himself as a rising star in the British art scene. In the mid-1960s, Bowling’s practice began to reflect his growing interest in abstraction, influenced by his exposure to American abstract expressionism during a formative visit to New York. He became increasingly preoccupied with the expressive possibilities of colour and texture, leading to his renowned "Map Paintings" in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These works feature large-scale abstract compositions overlaid with stencilled outlines of continents, exploring themes of geography, identity, and post-colonial history. The "Map Paintings" reflect Bowling’s dual identity as both Guyanese and British and mark his early efforts to merge personal experience with universal themes. Throughout the 1970s, Bowling established studios in both London and New York, deepening his engagement with abstract art. During this period, he began experimenting with techniques such as pouring and staining paint directly onto the canvas, creating luminous works characterized by their rich, layered surfaces. This innovative approach earned him critical acclaim and positioned him as a significant figure in the New York art world, particularly among proponents of colour field painting. Bowling’s later work continued to push boundaries, incorporating materials such as acrylic gels, gold leaf, and collaged elements. His large-scale paintings evoke a sense of movement and transformation, often inspired by his reflections on memory, migration, and the natural world. Despite the deeply personal nature of his art, Bowling’s work resonates on a universal level, inviting viewers to contemplate the interplay between colour, form, and meaning. In 2005, Bowling was elected as a member of the Royal Academy of Arts, becoming the first Black artist to receive this honour. His contributions to art have been recognized with numerous awards and major exhibitions, including a landmark retrospective at Tate Britain in 2019. Today, his work is held in prestigious collections worldwide, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Frank BowlingDoughlah G.E.P., 1968-71 - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, 2023

$1,013

Doughlah G.E.P., 1968-71 - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art

By Frank Bowling

Located in London, GB

Title: Doughlah G.E.P., 1968-71 Year made: 2023 Material: Giclée print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet cotton rag paper with an embossed publisher stamp Edition of 250 It comes with COA f...

Category

2010s Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Giclée

Frank BowlingUntitled By Frank Bowling, 2015

$33,768

Untitled By Frank Bowling

By Frank Bowling

Located in Dubai, Dubai

Untitled By Frank Bowling Frank Bowling was a British-Guyanese artist renowned for his vibrant and expressive abstract paintings. His work explored themes of identity, migration, m...

Category

2010s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Cotton

Howard HodgkinArtist and Model Howard Hodgkin abstracted orange and black watercolor gouache, 1980

$1,800

H 32.25 in W 41 in

Artist and Model Howard Hodgkin abstracted orange and black watercolor gouache

By Howard Hodgkin

Located in New York, NY

Large black and marigold orange abstract interior scene of a bust in front of a window with fingerprints and painterly brushstrokes. Rich color and texture ideal for hanging in minim...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Etching

Howard HodgkinHoward Hodgkin hand-colored Early Evening in the Museum of Modern Art, 1979

$2,250

H 29.5 in W 38.75 in

Howard Hodgkin hand-colored Early Evening in the Museum of Modern Art

By Howard Hodgkin

Located in New York, NY

Large scale black and white abstract interior scene with dots, lines, brushstrokes, and hand painting in grey, to hang in contemporary, modern and minimalist spaces. While British pop artists such as David Hockney and Patrick Caulfield numbered amongst Howard Hodgkin's circle of friends, Hodgkin's work is painterly, emotional, expressionist, and abstract. Early Evening in the Museum of Modern Art, by Howard Hodgkin. Signed by the artist, numbered, and dated 79 lower center in red crayon. Soft-ground etching printed from the same plate as 'Late Afternoon in the Museum of Modern Art', with hand coloring in black gouache on Grey BFK Rives mould-made paper. This print depicts an abstracted scene, perhaps a sculpture in front of a window in the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, in Hodgkin's signature painterly style. The expressive mark-making in this print is an example of the artist’s movement in the late 70s towards pronounced gestures. Wide areas of deep black pigment contrast urgent swipes of ink. Always seeking greater richness in his prints, Hodgkin layered ink and hand coloring in this print, rendering each impression in the edition unique. Part of a series of four prints reflecting on a visit to...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Gouache, Etching

Maurizio ChiesaFlowerpot - Oil on canvas by Maurizio Chiesa - 1976, 1976

$754

H 19.69 in W 15.75 in D 1.19 in

Flowerpot - Oil on canvas by Maurizio Chiesa - 1976

Located in Roma, IT

Flowerpot is an artwork realized by Maurizio Chiesa in 1976. Oil on canvas board, cm 50x40. Signature and data. it includes frame. Good conditions!

Category

1970s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Louise BourgeoisLouise Bourgeois - I Have Been to Hell and Back Handkerchief, Lt Ed Tate Gallery, 2009

$15,000

H 15.5 in W 15.5 in D 1.5 in

Louise Bourgeois - I Have Been to Hell and Back Handkerchief, Lt Ed Tate Gallery

By Louise Bourgeois

Located in New York, NY

Hand numbered 900/1000 and with the artist's silkscreened initials This long sold out coveted limited edition embroidered handkerchief is based on a larger original, which Bourgeo...

Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Cotton, Thread, Mixed Media, Screen

Tracey EminTracey Emin - Kiss Me Towel/Wall Hanging Lt. Ed. hand numbered Official COA New!, 2014

$1,500

H 42 in W 69 in D 0.5 in

Tracey Emin - Kiss Me Towel/Wall Hanging Lt. Ed. hand numbered Official COA New!

By Tracey Emin

Located in New York, NY

Tracey Emin Kiss Me Kiss Me Towel, 2014 with Official plate signed COA Brand new: unframed and comes folded (framed images for inspiration only) Limited Edition silkscreen on oversiz...

Category

2010s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Screen, Mixed Media, Paper, Cotton

Tracey Emin"I Love You" Limited Edition towel/wall hanging (LARGE: 60 inches x 70 inches), 2011

$2,800

H 60 in W 70 in D 0.3 in

"I Love You" Limited Edition towel/wall hanging (LARGE: 60 inches x 70 inches)

By Tracey Emin

Located in New York, NY

Tracey Emin I Love You/I Love Your Soul/I Love Your Smile, ca. 2010 100% Cotton Beach Towel 60 × 70 inches (folded it's 25 x 30 inches) Signed in plate, authorized printed...

Category

2010s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Cotton, Screen, Mixed Media, Laid Paper

Tracey EminTracey Emin - Wanting You - Embroidered Linen Handkerchief, with Hand Signed Tag, 2014

$15,000

H 21 in W 21 in D 1.5 in

Tracey Emin - Wanting You - Embroidered Linen Handkerchief, with Hand Signed Tag

By Tracey Emin

Located in New York, NY

Embroidered Linen Handkerchief, with Hand Inscribed, Dated and Signed Tag Ink signed Tracy Emin with the hand written inscription "With You in Mind" and dated 2014 by Tracey Emin on ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Textile, Cotton, Thread, Ink

Mark KostabiSandy Giclee Print on Handmade Cotton Paper, Signed Edition of 50, 2014

$875

H 25.5 in W 20 in D 1 in

Sandy Giclee Print on Handmade Cotton Paper, Signed Edition of 50

By Mark Kostabi

Located in Aventura, FL

Hand signed, dated and numbered by the artist. Giclee on hand made cotton paper. Image size 18.75 x 14 inches. Frame size approx 25.5 x 20 inches. Edition of 50. Artwork in excel...

Category

2010s Pop Art Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Cotton, Paper, Giclée

Kehinde WileyKehinde Wiley - Andries Stilte Lt. Ed oversized Towel Wall Hanging 70" x 60", 2008

$2,800

H 70 in W 60 in D 0.3 in

Kehinde Wiley - Andries Stilte Lt. Ed oversized Towel Wall Hanging 70" x 60"

By Kehinde Wiley

Located in New York, NY

Kehinde Wiley Andries Stilte oversized beach towel, 2008 Silkscreen on 100% Cotton Large Beach Towel or hanging tapestry 70 × 60 inches Edition of 2000 In original packaging with ta...

Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Cotton, Mixed Media, Screen

Victor VasarelyVictor Vasarely, Untitled - Signed Print from 1966, Op-Art, Abstract Geometric, Circa 1966

$2,206

H 27.56 in W 27.56 in

Victor Vasarely, Untitled - Signed Print from 1966, Op-Art, Abstract Geometric

By Victor Vasarely

Located in Hamburg, DE

Victor Vasarely (Hungarian-French, 1906-1997) Untitled, ca. 1966 Medium: Screen print on card Dimensions: 27 3/5 × 27 3/5 in (70 × 70 cm) Edition of 100: Hand-signed in pencil, not n...

Category

20th Century Abstract Geometric Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Screen

Howard HodgkinAll Alone in the Museum of Modern Art Howard Hodgkin abstract black painting, 1979

$2,250

H 29.5 in W 38.75 in

All Alone in the Museum of Modern Art Howard Hodgkin abstract black painting

By Howard Hodgkin

Located in New York, NY

Large scale black and white abstract interior scene with dots, lines, brushstrokes, paint daubs, fingerprints, squares and rectangles, and hand painting in grey. Hang in contemporary...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Etching

Hans HartungHans Hartung 1963 Original Unused Vintage Poster Lithograph Erker Galerie German, 1963

$400

H 36.5 in W 22.7 in

Hans Hartung 1963 Original Unused Vintage Poster Lithograph Erker Galerie German

By Hans Hartung

Located in Miami, FL

Hans Hartung (Germany, 1904-1989) Galerie Im Erker, 1963 lithograph on paper 36.5 x 22.7 in. (92.5 x 57.5 cm.) Excellent condition, unframed Ref: HAR100-204 Hans Hartung was born in...

Category

1960s Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Lithograph

Previously Available Items

Frank BowlingHothead - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, 2016

Sold

H 31.5 in W 29.61 in

Hothead - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art

By Frank Bowling

Located in London, GB

Hothead, 2016 Giclée print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet cotton rag paper with an embossed publisher stamp 80 x 75 cm - Sheet Edition of 250 It comes with COA from the publishers This p...

Category

2010s Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Giclée

Frank BowlingHothead - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, 2016

Sold

H 32.29 in W 30.71 in

Hothead - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art

By Frank Bowling

Located in London, GB

Hothead, 2016 Giclée print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet cotton rag paper with an embossed publisher stamp 82 x 78 cm - Framed 80 x 75 cm - Sheet Edition of 250 It comes with COA from t...

Category

2010s Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Giclée

Frank BowlingFrank Bowling, Benjamin Run - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, Signed Print, 2020

Sold

H 29.93 in W 19.49 in

Frank Bowling, Benjamin Run - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, Signed Print

By Frank Bowling

Located in Hamburg, DE

Sir Frank Bowling OBE, RA (b. 1934, in British Guiana) Benjamin Run, 2020 Medium: Lithograph on paper Dimensions: 76 x 49.5 cm Edition of 40: Signed and numbered by hand Condition: Mint

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Lithograph

Frank BowlingFrank Bowling, Benjamin Run - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, Signed Print, 2020

Sold

H 29.93 in W 19.49 in

Frank Bowling, Benjamin Run - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art, Signed Print

By Frank Bowling

Located in Hamburg, DE

Sir Frank Bowling OBE, RA (b. 1934, in British Guiana) Benjamin Run, 2020 Medium: Lithograph on paper Dimensions: 76 x 49.5 cm Edition of 40: Signed and numbered by hand Condition: Mint

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Lithograph

Frank BowlingAs If Eleven - Contemporary art, 21st Century, Abstract Art, Abstraction, 2020

Sold

H 29.93 in W 23.63 in

As If Eleven - Contemporary art, 21st Century, Abstract Art, Abstraction

By Frank Bowling

Located in Zug, CH

Frank Bowling As If Eleven - Contemporary art, 21st Century, Abstract Art, Abstraction 2020 Screenprint Edition of 100 76 × 60 cm (29.92 × 23.62 in) ...

Category

2010s Abstract Frank Bowling Art

Materials

Screen

Frank Bowling art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Frank Bowling art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Frank Bowling in cotton, fabric, digital print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Frank Bowling art, so small editions measuring 12 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Yinka Shonibare, Jennifer Baker, and Andrée B. Carter. Frank Bowling art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,159 and tops out at $6,500, while the average work can sell for $3,159.