09/12/2020
In 1967 Desmond Morris published what was to become his most well-known work, ‘The Naked Ape’, a zoologist’s study of the Human Animal. Following the book’s global success he moved with his wife to live in Malta where he met Victor and Wendy Pasmore.
Beaux Arts London would like to thank Desmond Morris for sending photographs, descriptions of Pasmore's studio and tales of Picasso:
"Victor and Wendy Pasmore lived near us in Malta at an unpronounceable address: Dar Gamri, Ta' Kaxxina, Gudja. They had converted an old farm house into a studio and the whole place, with its irregular stone courtyards, was like a Pasmore work of art. His swimming pool was white with a long, thick black line running longways along the bottom and then out at one end and up a wall.
"This unbroken line converted the pool into another Pasmore work of art.
Few artists like to talk about their work or to discuss art theories, but Victor loved to do this and we spent many hours debating such things as balanced asymmetry. Wendy was fanatical about her task of saving the stray cats of Malta and was organising an animal sanctuary where they could be rescued and protected."
My favourite story about Victor was about the time that he was sent to collect Picasso from Dover. Don Pablo was Roland Penrose’s guest but, for some reason, Roland could not go down to meet him off the boat, so he asked Victor to do it. The problem was that Victor did not speak French or Spanish and Picasso did not speak English. They were sitting together in the back of the taxi and Victor managed to say “Je suis peintre” to whch Picasso replied “Moi aussi”.
And with that, they subsided into silence all the way to London."
Pictures: Desmond Morris and Victor Pasmore with their wives Wendy and Ramona. Malta, 1968
Pasmore by Desmond Morris, Malta 1968
Desmond Morris aboard his boat, The Argo
Desmond Morris, The Harbinger, 2019, Oil on board, 91 x 61 cm
Victor Pasmore, Blue Mandala, 1971, Oil on panel, 122 x 122 cm
Desmond Morris: In the 21st Century runs until 18 December 2020 at Beaux Arts London
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