Born in Treharris, 1935, Ivor Davies studied at Cardiff and Swansea colleges of art, 1952-7. He taught in London and at Lausanne University, 1959-61, where he also followed courses in Art History. He was lecturer and director of studies in modern art at Edinburgh University, 1963-78.  His Edinburgh University PhD, on Russian Modernism and its international relationships, has been followed by many scholarly art history publications. First curator of Edinburgh University Talbot Rice Art Centre (later Gallery), 1970-78, he curated 62 exhibitions, his pioneer 1972 Kinetic Art exhibition attracting 1,000 visitors in its first week. Co-organiser and Chair of the 1966 Destruction in Art Symposium, his elaborately designed late ‘60s group-performance works were probably the first British art using explosives, not as destruction in itself, but as agent, together with tides, movement and other impermanences, of mutability, time and representation, themes seen in myriad ways throughout his career. In 1977, Paul and Peter Davies accepted his request to join them in Rebecca, later Bec(c)a, whose subsequent members include Pete Telfer, Iwan Bala, Tim Davies and Sara Rhoslyn Moore. His work, varied in genre, at times multi-disciplinary and collaborative, often engages with Welsh history, culture and resistance. He's had 49 solo exhibitions. He was Head of Cultural Studies, Gwent College of Art (USW), 1978-88; Royal Cambrian Academy Vice-President, 1995-2011, President, 2012-14; Eisteddfod Gold Medalist, 2002; elected to Gorsedd y Beirdd, 2003, and made Honorary Fellow, Cardiff University, 2019.