Showing posts with label Elisabeth Kruger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elisabeth Kruger. Show all posts
Friday, September 10, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Press Release: Food & Art
The representation of food has always had a presence within the realm of the visual arts. The sharing of food and drink is a communal behavior similar to the way art acts as a forum for dialogue. This collection of paintings from the gallery stock room explores the appearance of food in not only traditional still life paintings and banquet scenes but also in figurative paintings such as David Boyd’s Two Children with apple and orange and Ray Crooke’s Villagers Relaxing.

The still life paintings range from knobby yellow capsicums by Ena Joyce to Elisabeth Kruger’s perfectly round clementines that appear to be rosy and ripe. Sophie Dunlop’s opulent coloured etchings display fruits scattered among various bowls and pitchers with a background echoing the aesthetic of a Roman fresco. Dunlop layers the connections between food and art by referencing art itself within the genre of a still life. With this in mind, the quite composition of a jar of paint brushes and a lone squash in Judy Cassab’s Untitled painting can be viewed as the crux of the exhibition and a celebration of creative output, both artistic and culinary.

Food & Art will be on view starting March 26th at Eva Breuer Art Dealer.

The still life paintings range from knobby yellow capsicums by Ena Joyce to Elisabeth Kruger’s perfectly round clementines that appear to be rosy and ripe. Sophie Dunlop’s opulent coloured etchings display fruits scattered among various bowls and pitchers with a background echoing the aesthetic of a Roman fresco. Dunlop layers the connections between food and art by referencing art itself within the genre of a still life. With this in mind, the quite composition of a jar of paint brushes and a lone squash in Judy Cassab’s Untitled painting can be viewed as the crux of the exhibition and a celebration of creative output, both artistic and culinary.

Food & Art will be on view starting March 26th at Eva Breuer Art Dealer.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
GALLERY NEWS 29 JANUARY 2010: Sidney Nolan, Leonard French, Brett Whiteley, Roger Kemp
tel: 02 9362 0297 fax: 02 9362 0318
email: art@evabreuerartdealer.com.au
website: www.evabreuerartdealer.com.au
Important Australian Paintings
Sir Sidney Nolan (1917-1992)
Kelly 1959
Polyvinyl acetate on board
151 x 120.25 cm
signed lower left: N
verso: Feb 23rd 1959 / N
no.8163
Provenance: Private collection New South Wales
Exhibited: Unmasked: Sidney Nolan and Ned Kelly 1950 - 1990, Heide Museum of Modern Art, 11 November 2006- 4 March 2007
Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings are among the most important in his oeuvre. Painting the first of his Kelly series in 1946-47 (National Gallery of Australia), Nolan returned to the Kelly figure many times and it is the 1950s Kelly paintings in particular which establish “a new magic and imaginative power.”1 In these later Kelly paintings the ‘naïve’ style of the 1940s Kelly series has been replaced by a more human, emotional intensity. In Kelly 1959 Nolan combines the heroic image of Ned Kelly with the classical image of martyrdom. This work highlights Nolan’s interest in the mythic and uniquely Australian Kelly saga as a story which parallels classical legend. Painted while Nolan was in New York on a Harkness Fellowship, Kelly 1959 is executed in polyvinyl acetate (the medium used for the Leda and Swan series also painted at this time) which Nolan scraped across the board in multiple transparent layers of luminous and varied colour.
1 Clark. J., Sidney Nolan: Landscapes and Legends, ICCA, Sydney, 1987, pp.120-21.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Sir Sidney Nolan
Leonard French (b.1928)
Winter Fountain c.1987-93
enamel and gold leaf on hessian on composition board
122 x 137 cm
Signed: l.r. 'French'
Provenance: Private collection Perth
no.11197
Leonard French's works frequently depict epic stories, such as the Iliad, the Odyssey and events from the Bible. These stories allow him a platform to explore universal themes, most frequently the struggle and spiritual journey of a hero. His highly individual and distinctive works reveal a plethora of influences, from Byzantine mosaics (his symmetry and precision), to Gothic (bright colours outlined in black), Romanesque architecture (squat, solid figures) Cubism and the work of Léger to name but a few. This work, Winter Fountain, exemplifies all these elements. The two figures in the work – one black, one white and both with distinctive rounded heads, first began appearing in French’s work in the late 1980’s. Like many facets of French’s work they appear to be highly symbolic, but with the exact meaning intended by the artist obscured. Other works wit these figures include The Release (in the collection of the Bendigo Art Gallery), Duet and The Tightrope (both in private collections.) Winter Fountain from the Duality series, expresses a deep sense of self and individual mortality. The series which was created during the late eighties explores the human condition as the figure struggles with between light and dark images of self. French's work is represented at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, all state galleries, most regional galleries and is also included in many major international collections, including the MoMA, New York. French also completed numerous monumental commissions in Australia, the most famous being the glass ceiling in the Great Hall at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Visit our website to view other important Australian paintings
Brett Whiteley (1939-1992)
Untitled (Bird) 1978
Oil on board with mixed media
82 x 85.5cm
Signed 'Brett Whiteley 78' lower left
Provenance: Private collection Sydney
no.8781
Brett Whiteley created some of the most important paintings of twentieth century Australian Art. His mastery of, and unique approach to form, colour, light and gesture in a body of work which spans subjects from birds to boulders, have made him one of the icons of not only the Australian art world but also internationally. Brett Whiteley is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, all state galleries, many regional galleries, as well as many important public collections both in Australia and overseas. Three of Brett Whiteley’s most memorable solo exhibitions were devoted to the theme of birds in 1979, 1983 and 1988. “It is not too fanciful to think of Whiteley’s bird paintings as self portraits”, Barry Pearce has commented. “He loved them since childhood and in his last phase of work they became symbols of both domesticity and freedom.” Reference: The Australian Magazine, 26 August, 1995, p.16.
“Pearce has described Whiteley as “Australia’s most sublime painter of birds, “as essential symbols of the song of creation and the joy of life.” Reference: Barry Pearce (1989), Australian Artists, Australian Birds, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, p.144.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Brett Whiteley
Roger Kemp (1908-1987)
Untitled c.1963
Acrylic on masonite
91.5 x 122cm
no.5320
Roger Kemp is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, all state galleries, many regional galleries as well as many other public collections throughout Australia. Kemp has been the recipient of numerous coveted awards including the 1968 and 1970 Blake Prize. “Kemp’s contribution to the development of abstract painting in Australia is substantial. He has shown how a personal language can be developed from experience with effort and tenacity without recourse to models from abroad.”
Reference: Roger Kemp: Cycle and Directions 1935 –1975, Monash University Department of Visual arts, Exhibition Gallery, Melbourne: The Gallery, 1978 pp.1-2.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Roger Kemp
Kevin Connor (b. 1932)
Movie World People 1993
Oil on linen
71 x 91.5cm
no.6155
Kevin Connor is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, most state galleries, many regional regional galleries as well as many other public collections throughout Australia. He has been the recipient of numerous coveted awards including the 1975 and 1977 Archibald prize, 1991 Sulman Prize and the 1992 and 2005 Dobell Prize. Movie World People 1993 is a bold, painterly work. Connor's brush work is loose and immediate, the paint application heavy, enlivening the painting with a distinct sense of movement.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Kevin Connor
James Gleeson (1915-2008)
Untitled (Two Figures in Psychoscape) c.1965
oil on board
19 x 14.5cm
Signed 'Gleeson' lower right
Provenance: Sydney Antique centre
Grafton House Gallery
Private collection Cairns
no.11139
Visit our website to view other paintings by James Gleeson
David Boyd (b.1924)
Three Children by the sea c.1999
Oil on board
26 x 22 cm
Signed: "David Boyd" lower left
Provenance: Private collection Sydney
no.11017
Visit our website to view other paintings by David Boyd
Contemporary Paintings
Elisabeth Kruger (b.1955)
Spill 2007
oil on linen
122 x 122cm
no.10885
Visit our website to view other paintings by Elisabeth Kruger
Wayne Eager (b.1957)
Fragrance, 2008
acrylic on linen (framed)
152 x 122cm
no.10424
Visit our website to view other paintings by Wayne Eager
Tony Irving (b.1939)
Beyond the fence 2009
oil on linen
80 x 130cm
no.11146
Visit our website to view other paintings by Tony Irving
Judy Cassab (b. 1920)
Women with Sphinx 2007
Oil on canvas
39.5 x 50 cm
Signed 'Cassab 07' lower right
Provenance: The artist
no.10678
Visit our website to view other paintings by Judy Cassab
Anna Platten (b.1957)
Head and House 2007
charcoal on paper
125 x 100cm
no.10769
Finalist in the Kedumba drawing prize 2007
Visit our website to view other artworks by Anna Platten
Paul Procee
My Spineless Cousin 2009
Oil on copper
25 x 20cm
no.11195
Visit our website to view other paintings by Paul Procee
Philippa Blair (b.1945)
Knockout 2007
oil on canvas
152.5 x 152.5 cm
no.9863
Visit our website to view other paintings by Philippa Blair
Geoffrey Proud (b. 1946)
Cloudy Day, Rain Sprite
pastel on paper
67 x 47cm
signed 'Proud' lower right
no.10161
Visit our website to view other pastels by Geoffrey Proud
Featured Graphic
Arthur Boyd (1920-1999)
Lovers in a Landscape
Etching A/P
26.5 x 30cm (image)
37.5 x 52.5cm (paper)
signed Arthur Boyd, VI/VI, A/P
no.10436
Visit our website to view other graphics by Arthur Boyd
John Coburn (1925-2006)
Rare Bird 1987
Screen print A/P (6 colours)
artist' proof: 10
48 x 70cm (image)
54.9 x 74.9cm (sheet)
signed, dated LR, inscribed with title LC and edition LL
printed by Michael Phelps, Sydney
commissioned by the New South Wales State Cancer Council for its Bicentennial Collection: A portfolio of Australian artists (a boxed set with 11 other artists)
no.10386
Visit our website to view other graphics by John Coburn
Current Exhibition
February
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibitions
March
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Wayne Eager
April
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Pam Sackville
May
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Brian Seidel
Please send us an email if you wish to be added to the weekly newsletter list.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
GALLERY NEWS 27 JANUARY 2010: Leonard French, Garry Shead, Ray Crooke, Brett Whiteley
tel: 02 9362 0297 fax: 02 9362 0318
email: art@evabreuerartdealer.com.au
website: www.evabreuerartdealer.com.au
Important Australian Paintings
Leonard French (b.1928)
Winter Fountain c.1987-93
enamel and gold leaf on hessian on composition board
122 x 137 cm
Signed: l.r. 'French'
Provenance: Private collection Perth
no.11197
Throughout his career as an artist Leonard French has held true to the philosophy of art at the service of the common man. His works frequently depict epic stories, such as the Iliad, the Odyssey and events from the Bible. These stories allow him a platform to explore universal themes, most frequently the struggle and spiritual journey of a hero. His highly individual and distinctive works reveal a plethora of influences, from Byzantine mosaics (his symmetry and precision), to Gothic (bright colours outlined in black), Romanesque architecture (squat, solid figures) Cubism and the work of Léger to name but a few. This work, Winter Fountain, exemplifies all these elements. The two figures in the work – one black, one white and both with distinctive rounded heads, first began appearing in French’s work in the late 1980’s. Like many facets of French’s work they appear to be highly symbolic, but with the exact meaning intended by the artist obscured. Other works with these figures include The Release (in the collection of the Bendigo Art Gallery), Duet and The Tightrope (both in private collections.)
French's work is represented at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, all state galleries, most regional galleries and is also included in many major international collections, including the MoMA, New York. French also completed numerous monumental commissions in Australia, the most famous being the glass ceiling in the Great Hall at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Visit our web site to view other important Australian paintings
Garry Shead (b.1942)
Dancer c.1998
Oil on board
59 x 43 cm
Signed 'Shead' lower left
Provenance: Private collection Sydney
no.11134
As Sasha Grishin describes the series: “Throughout the series the constant recurring motif is that of the fully clad male dancer, usually shown in an evening suit and occasionally appearing slightly awkward and uncertain of himself, accompanied by a nude, or an almost nude female dancer. On one very basic level there is the aspect of voyeuristic erotic wish-fulfillment, drawing on the surrealist strategy of undressing the woman with the male gaze that had been so effectively employed by Renne Magrite. Shead’s female dancers are of great sensuous beauty and lyrical charm. There is a hint of a more metaphysical dimension of this dance, relating it to the dance of life as interpreted by artists like Edvard Munch. The Dance is performed on an allegorical stage like the arena of life, sometimes with an awareness of an audience and sometimes under the harsh glow of the spotlights. In most of the ‘Dance Sequence’ paintings there is an indication of an open door in the background, at times shown as the source of light, but in all instances the door way is a path for escape. Shead achieves in this series of paintings a great lyricism in the paint surface, a warm sensuousness through which the female flesh glows in a rich radiance. Increasingly these intimate interior settings allude to ambiguous and seductive dream-like reality where ideas and interpretations float free from gravity and verbal associations."
Reference: Grishin S, Garry Shead and The Erotic Muse, Craftsman House, 2001 p.166.
Visit our web site to view other paintings by Garry Shead
Ray Crooke (b.1922)
Villagers Relaxing
oil on canvas
75 x 61cm
signed lower left 'R. Crooke'
Provenance: Private collection Sydney
no.11049
Visit our website to view other paintings by Ray Crooke
Brett Whiteley (1939-1992)
The Luxembourg Gardens (glimpse) (detail)
Pen and Ink on Paper
55.5 x 75 cm
Initialed 'BW' lower right
Illustrated: Brett Whiteley: Paris Regarde de Côté, Australian Galleries, 1990, Plate 41.
Provenance: Australian Galleries
Private collection Melbourne since 1992
no.11042
The Luxembourg Gardens (glimpse) is part of a series of works on paper which Whiteley produced in Paris between June and July of 1989. Whiteley had rented an apartment on the Rue de Tournon and produced one work a day for 60 days. These are regarde de cote (sidelong glances), which Whiteley saw as the answer to creating images of the city which were not cliché. "millions of pictures have been painted – how to find a new vision is the challenge. What one is after is a high-octane visual poetic journalism, brief, essential and above all fresh. This can best be achieved by drawing, and not the heavy métier of oil paint." Offered for the first time since it was acquired from the Paris Regarde de Coté exhibition this is a superb example of Whiteley's masterful draughtsmanship.
Reference: Brett Whiteley's introduction to: Brett Whiteley: Paris Regarde De Côté, Australian Galleries, 1990.
Visit our website to view other artworks by Brett Whiteley
John Coburn (1925-2006)
Central Desert Painting
Oil on canvas
183 x 244cm
no.10080
Visit our website to view other paintings by John Coburn
Elisabeth Kruger (b.1955)
Cirque 2008
oil on linen
122.5 x 153cm
no.10884
Visit our web site to view other paintings by Elisabeth Kruger
Ken Whisson (b.1927)
A Day in the Country 1967
Oil on board
73 x 102cm
Signed 'WHISSON' upper left
Inscribed verso "A DAY IN THE COUNTRY" / A DAY IN THE COUNTRY / CLEAR AND COLD / "THE FOXES ON THE HILLS BARKED CLEAR AND COLD"
Provenance: Watters Gallery, Sydney; Esa Jaske Gallery, Sudney
Exhibited: Ken Whisson: Paintings 1957-1985, Broken Hill City Art Gallery, New South Wales, 1985 (cat. 13)
Reference: Ken Whisson Paintings 1947-1999, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne, 2001, p. 120, cat. 19 (illustration p. 35)
Ken Whisson: Paintings 1957-1985, Broken Hill City Art Gallery, New South Wales, 1985, p. 50, cat. 13 (illustration p. 31)
no.7991
Ken Whisson is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, all state galleries, many regional galleries, as well as many other important public collections in Australia and overseas. He has been the recipient of many awards including the 1979 John McCaughey Memorial Art Prize.
Ken Whisson's highly individual form of painting is often derived from and stimulated by memory and intuition. John MacDonald explains that Whisson is "asking the viewer to see with the eye of the mind rather than expecting a perfect match between the object and it's representation." In A Day in the Country, Whisson pushes the paint around his canvases at oblique and obscure angles, creating opposing red, green yellow and blue shapes and forms which echo a figure or a chair a dog or a boat. The resulting painting is fluid and dynamic.
Illustrated: McDonald. J., et al, Ken Whisson Paintings 1947 - 1999, Niagara Publishing, 2001, p.35.
Visit our web site to view other important Australian paintings
Roland Wakelin (1887-1971)
Terrace Houses Double Bay 1963
Oil on board
45 x 64 cm
Signed 'R.Wakelin 63' bottom left
no.11144
Provenance:
Private collection, Melbourne
Private collection, Sydney
Exhibited:
Toorak Art Gallery (label attached verso) - On loan from Mr P English
Geelong Art Gallery (label attached verso)
Roland Wakelin Retrospective Art Gallery of NSW 8 - 30 April 1967 cat no.87
Roland Wakelin: Master of Colour, A Newcastle Regional Gallery Touring exhibition, 2002
Toured to Newcastle City Art Gallery 10-13 May 1967
Illustrated:
Roland Wakelin: Master of Colour, A Newcastle Regional Gallery Touring exhibition, 2002
Visit our web site to view other paintings by Roland Wakelin
Patrick Hockey (1948-1992)
Untitled 1975
oil on board
44 x 44 cm
signed 'Hockey 75' lower left
provenance: private collection Sydney
no.9656
Patrick Hockey is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, all state galleries, many regional galleries as well as many other important public collections both in Australia and internationally.
Hockey’s Australian ‘Outback Hotel’ series (loosely worked renderings of outback hotels and their patrons) capture the essence of the sun-hardened heart of the land and it’s quintessentially Australian characters.
Visit our web site to view other important Australian paintings
Arthur Murch (1902-1989)
Leda and the swan
Oil on board
39.5 x 49.5 cm
no.5186a
Arthur Murch, a Sydney based painter, trained under Dattilo Rubbo and the sculptor Raynor Hoff in the early 1920s. Murch is renowned for his ability to recreate luminosity in paint. He won the NSW Society of Artists Travelling Art Scholarship in 1925 and worked as a studio assistant to George Lambert before travelling throughout Europe in the 1930s. He was appointed Official War Artist in 1942 and won the Archibald prize in 1949. Under Lambert, Murch developed a romantic style of painting. His paintings portray an idyllic version of Australian life, depicting a playful Arcadian seaside existence. Experimenting with colour, pattern and light, Murch developed a distinctive style.
Arthur Murch is represented in the National Gallery of Australia and the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, and all State and many regional galleries.
Visit our web site to view other important Australian paintings
Jean Appleton (1911-2003)
Early Morning Light c.1978
Oil on board
78 x 99 cm
no.5100
Jean Appleton is represented in many state and regional galleries as well as other public collections in Australia and overseas including the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. She was the recipient of many coveted awards including the inaugural Portia Geach Memorial Prize in 1965.
“Jean Appleton’s practice has always tended to still lifes and landscape, and since the mid-1970s at least she has been almost exclusively involved in painting interiors – works which at one level vary little in the flowers, fruits, furniture, jugs and drapery they utilise – and yet provide, as the still-life genre has traditionally done, endless possibilities for the artist to contemplate reality, experiment visually, and construct a vocabulary of creative expression."
Reference: Simpson, Caroline, Jean Appleton: a lifetime with art, Woollahra, N.S.W, 1998 pp.89
Visit our web site to view other important Australian paintings
Brian Dunlop (1938-2009)
Malatesta Kneeling 1979
oil on canvas
121 x 169cm
no.5599
Visit our web site to view other important Australian paintings
Ena Joyce (b.1926)
Bathing Sheds Round the Bay c.1958
oil on board
39.5 x 44cm
no.7231
Bathing Sheds Round the Bay c.1958 is a beautiful example of Joyce’s wonderful colour harmonies and sensitive observation of light.
"While teaching at Ballarat I met my future husband. We lived in Melbourne where I often painted round Port Phillip Bay and the areas familiar to Clarice Beckett." Ena Joyce
Visit our website to view other paintings by Ena Joyce
Introducing Andrew Paviour
Wedding Reception
oil on canvas
66 x 76 cm
no.11189
Visit our website to view other paintings by Andrew Paviour
At the Races
oil on canvas
76 x 84 cm
Visit our website to view other paintings by Andrew Paviour
Contemporary Australian Paintings
Adriane Strampp (b.1960)
Stags 2009
Oil on linen
101.5 x 101.5 cm
no.10650
Visit our website to view other paintings by Adriane Strampp
Christopher McVinish (b.1952)
The Ongoing Moment
oil on canvas
110 x 110cm
no.11196
Visit our website to view other paintings by Christopher McVinish
Featured Graphic
Fred Williams (1927-1982)
Upwey Landscape 1965-1966
etching 16/22
21 x 13cm
signed 'Fred Williams' lower right
no.97355
Fred Williams is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, most state galleries, many regional galleries as well as many other public collections throughout Australia. Upwey Landscape 1965-66, a rare etching of this period, is an example of the unique visual shorthand which Williams devised to capture the beauty of the Australian landscape.
Visit our web site to view other graphics by Fred Williams
Current Exhibition
January
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibitions
February
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
March
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Wayne Eager
April
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Pam Sackville
Please send us an email if you wish to be added to the weekly newsletter list.
January
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibitions
February
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
March
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Wayne Eager
April
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Pam Sackville
Please send us an email if you wish to be added to the weekly newsletter list.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
GALLERY NEWS 12 JANUARY 2010: John Coburn, Tim Storrier, Elisabeth Kruger
tel: 02 9362 0297 fax: 02 9362 0318
email: art@evabreuerartdealer.com.au
website: www.evabreuerartdealer.com.au
Important Australian Paintings
John Coburn (1925-2006)
John Coburn (1925-2006)
Ah What is a Man (That you should be so mindful of him?) 1987
Oil on canvas
122 x 90cm
inscribed verso: John Coburn / Ah, What is Man
(That you Should be Mindful of Him?) / (oil) 1987
Provenance: The Artist
no.4961
cat no.8
Exhibited:
Mandorla Art Prize, October 1987
Macquarie Galleries, Sydney 8-26 November 1988, cat.no.8 (label affixed verso)
Oil on canvas
122 x 90cm
inscribed verso: John Coburn / Ah, What is Man
(That you Should be Mindful of Him?) / (oil) 1987
Provenance: The Artist
no.4961
cat no.8
Exhibited:
Mandorla Art Prize, October 1987
Macquarie Galleries, Sydney 8-26 November 1988, cat.no.8 (label affixed verso)
Coburn was always interested in religious subjects and painted the spiritual in many forms throughout his career. He entered numerous awards for religious art and was the recipient of numerous coveted awards including the 1960 and 1977 Blake Prize, the 1963 Mirabooka Prize and the 1996 Mandorla Prize. The Mandorla Prize was established in Western Australia in 1985 with the annual theme set around biblical texts. In 1987 the theme was “The Glory of God and Dignity of Man” from Psalm 8 verses 3-4. The present painting entered that year Ah What is a Man (That you should be mindful of him?) 1987 addresses that question to God from insignificant Man.
As Nadine Amadio writes, Ah, What is Man, “is like a radiant stained glass window drenched in vibrant colour. The dynamic figure of Mankind is still, however, very much a symbol surrounded by symbolic shapes. The colour brings it into that mythical realm evoked by the great stained glass windows both ancient and modern. It is a world where static figures are given life and passion by the streams of light passing through them, as if through a transformer.”1
Undoubtedly his first figurative painting in over thirty years, Coburn submitted this work to the Mandorla Art Prize in October 1987. It inspired a series of drawings and paintings on the subject that would return him briefly to figuration for the next two years.
As Nadine Amadio writes, Ah, What is Man, “is like a radiant stained glass window drenched in vibrant colour. The dynamic figure of Mankind is still, however, very much a symbol surrounded by symbolic shapes. The colour brings it into that mythical realm evoked by the great stained glass windows both ancient and modern. It is a world where static figures are given life and passion by the streams of light passing through them, as if through a transformer.”1
Undoubtedly his first figurative painting in over thirty years, Coburn submitted this work to the Mandorla Art Prize in October 1987. It inspired a series of drawings and paintings on the subject that would return him briefly to figuration for the next two years.
1Amadio, N., John Coburn: Painitngs, Craftsman House, Roseville, 1988, p.186.
Tim Storrier (b.1949)
At the age of nineteen in 1968, Tim Storrier was the youngest ever recipient of the Sulman Prize, an award also conferred on him in 1984. He studied graphic design at the National Art School, Sydney, and has travelled extensively to the USA, Europe, China and the Middle East. His study tours to Egypt and Central Australia conveyed to him the vastness of the landscape and remote civilisations. The 'Burning Rope' series began as a site-specific installation in Central Australia and portrays a line of fire invisibly suspended between two points, mirroring the horizon line in the distance. Storrier is interested in the spiritual significance of reduced landscapes, the ephemeral gestures left by human interaction with nature and fire as representation of both devastation and renewal. There is a tension in his work between beauty and decay: his evocative use of texture and colour in the atmospheric effects at daybreak and dusk, are counterbalanced by destructive or gruesome elements like fire, snakes and slabs of meat.
Elisabeth Kruger (b.1955)
Awarded the prestigious Moet & Chandon Art Fellowship (1989) and an overseas studio residency with the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council (1990), Elisabeth Kruger is recognised as one of Australia's leading contemporary artists. In her newest series of paintings, Kruger explores the luscious beauty of flowers, painting in a unique and encompassing macro perspective. These are stunning floral masterpieces with a contemporary edge. Her work is represented in the Australian National Gallery, The National Gallery of Victoria, the Parliament House Collection, Macquarie University and major private collections.
Arthur Boyd (1920-1999)
Arthur Boyd’s paintings of art world personalities such as this portrait of the art dealer Alannah Coleman, a figure celebrated for her undying commitment to promoting the careers of Australian artists at home and abroad in the 50's and 60's, are masterfully executed expressions of the sitter. Boyd translates the nuances of his subject in vigorous strokes of yellow, blue and red, which animate the painterly surface. The subject eventually relocated to London in 1950 were she continued to expose British audiences and collectors to works by Australian artists.
Eubena Nampitjin (b.c1921)
Kunawarritjic
Acrylic on linen
100 x 100cm
Warlayirti Artists # 860/04
verso: Warlayirti Artists 1000 x 1000
Eubena Nampitjin 860/04
no. 8597a
Eubena Nampitjin is represented in all state galleries including the National Gallery of Australia, many regional galleries as well as many other public collections throughout Australia.
Eubena has painted some of her country south west of Balgo, along the Canning Stock Route. The circle to the right of the painting represents Kunawarritji (Well 33) and is the place where Eubena would often hunt. The circle to left is a small tjurrnu and a place where women dance. The strong lines in the painting depict the tali (sandhills) that dominate this country.
Eubena has painted some of her country south west of Balgo, along the Canning Stock Route. The circle to the right of the painting represents Kunawarritji (Well 33) and is the place where Eubena would often hunt. The circle to left is a small tjurrnu and a place where women dance. The strong lines in the painting depict the tali (sandhills) that dominate this country.
New in the Gallery
Matthew Perceval (b.1945)
Matthew Perceval's landscapes are filled with light and fresh energy due to his dynamic brushstrokes. Matthew, the son of John Perceval and Mary Boyd, was born in Australia but spent the majority of his early formative years in London before moving to the south of France. The vivid colours of the Mediterranean had a positive influence on his work and during his time in France he began exhibiting all over Europe and had his first one man show in London in 1967 (with Arthur Boyd making the first purchase from the exhibition)1. The tone and mood of the paintings are set via the colour scheme ranging from pure brilliant tones to soft palettes of blues and creams. His paintings can be found in numerous public and private collections in Australia and abroad. The National Portrait Gallery held the first solo exhibition of Perceval's portraits in late 2007 - early 2008.
1 Sayers, A., 'Painters' Paradise', Portrait Magazine, Summer 2007-2008, p.12
Tessa Perceval (b.1947)
Tessa Perceval was born in Melbourne in 1947, the eldest daughter of John Perceval and Mary Boyd. She is primarily a self taught painter, although she studied art for a short time in London in the 1960's and in Florence in 1971. She held her first solo exhibition in London in 1971 and since then has exhibited widely in Australia and the U.K.
Throughout her career as a landscape painter she has travelled extensively, painting on location in many parts of Europe, the UK, Ireland and Australia. Based in London for most of her adult life, she now lives with her family in Herefordshire near the south Wales border, returning to Australia periodically. Her work is in public collections in Australia and in private collections internationally.
Throughout her career as a landscape painter she has travelled extensively, painting on location in many parts of Europe, the UK, Ireland and Australia. Based in London for most of her adult life, she now lives with her family in Herefordshire near the south Wales border, returning to Australia periodically. Her work is in public collections in Australia and in private collections internationally.
Sale
Harold Abbott (1906-1986)
Beginning his art studies under the tutelage of Julian Ashton at the Sydney Art School in 1923, Harold Abbott's career as a painter and art teacher spanned several decades. He was awarded the NSW Society of Artists Travelling Art Scholarship in 1931 and later went on to win the Sulman Prize and to serve as the official war artist for Australia in 1943 during World War II. Abbott always possessed an appreciation for still life and genre painting, an interest that enabled him to effectively apply a narrative element to his war scenes as well as subtly infuse everyday objects with a stoic sense of beauty and purpose. Abott's works are included in national collections ranging from the National Gallery of Australia to the Australian War Memorial.
Mike Parr (b.1945)
Zastruga Self Portrait 1986
Oil crayon & charcoal on paper
69.5 x 100 cm
Provenance: Charles Nodrum Gallery
no.2772
Contemporary Paintings
Stephen Nothling (b.1962)
Having won a handful of prestigious art awards as well as having been a finalist for the Dobell Drawing and Archibald Prizes, Stephen Nothling has remained an Australian art world favourite. The internationally exhibited artist is perhaps best known for his sensitive yet bold representation of roses in various stages of bloom, a cycle he likens to the arch of his own human potential. Much of his work incorporates elements and objects from nature, juxtaposed with surreal backgrounds or rendered in a mildly stylised and graphic treatment.
Wayne Eager (b.1957)
Beginning his art career as a founding member of the Melbourne-based art collective Roar Studios in the 1980's, Wayne Eager has continued to involve himself with the support of grassroots Australian art communities. In the early 1990's he relocated with his wife, Marina, to Haasts Bluff, NT where he became involved with the establishment of the Ikuntji Women's Centre and later became Field Officer for the Papunya Tula Artists. He has always maintained a solitary approach to painting his surrounds of the desert bush yet continues to be inspired by the work of neighbouring indigenous art communities. His paintings are a careful consideration of the constantly changing desert landscape with a nod to Western art movements, namely Abstract Expressionism.
Pam Sackville (b.1944)
Pam Sackville has been painting with watercolour for over 20 years – her dedication to the medium won over by the translucency and vibrancy of watercolour and by the way the colours run and blend together to create their own hues. Sackville frequently paints flowers, as she is intrigued by their softness, delicacy and fragility. Over her many years of painting flowers she has developed a great passion for them and through her work explores different ways to express their vibrant beauty. Sackville will be exhibiting at Eva Breuer Art Dealer in April.
Christopher Beaumont (b.1961)
With a strong background in maths and sciences and an eye for intriguing composition and design, Christopher Beaumont fuses these proclivities into a unique aesthetic that gives his paintings a delicate and crisp precision. In his final year of art school, Beaumont became fascinated by seventeenth century Spanish life paintings, particularly the stark, geometric compositions of fruit and vegetables. Utilising digital design software, Beaumont compiles digital photographs to create a composition that is then transferred to canvas by use of a grid. His exacting and methodical approach gives the objects a sharp and luminous three-dimensional quality with a sophisticated sense of style.
Featured Graphic
Anne Smith
U.K. born and having resided in Australia since 1971, Anne Smith has been in collaboration with artists such as Garry Shead, Wendy Sharpe, Bernard Ollis and Alan Peascod on their series of etchings. After establishing an etching studio in Sydney, Smith moved her studio to the Blue Mountains and opened the Falls Gallery in 1989. She has exhibited locally and internationally with shows in Bulgaria and Japan. She was a finalist for the 8th World mini Print Exhibition and the National Print Awards.
Current Exhibition
January
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibitions
February
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
March
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Wayne Eager
April
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Pam Sackville
Please send us an email if you wish to be added to the weekly newsletter list.
January
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibitions
February
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
March
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Wayne Eager
April
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Pam Sackville
Please send us an email if you wish to be added to the weekly newsletter list.
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