13 APRIL – 8 MAY 2016
I DREAM…… SURREALISM is curated by Despard Gallery director Steven Joyce. Despard has exhibited surrealist imagery for over a quarter of a century. This exhibition is his personal selection from four artists whose practice defers to the surrealist notion.
BIll Yaxley
Fantastical creatures fly, crawl and swim through Bill Yaxley’s world. We are drawn into his vision as if flying over the landscape; vibrant colours abound to enhance the fisheye view of a rural landscape that is uniquely Bill’s.
Bill has a major survey show that recently opened at the Rockhampton Regional Gallery, which covers significant generations of his art and is entitled ‘The adventures of William Yaxley’.
In 2013 fires wiped out dozens of homes on the Tasman Peninsula. Bill and his wife Helen lost their house along with hundreds of art works. Ever resilient, Bill is showing a series of new paintings that remind us that we have to move on in life. Through his art Bill invites us into his world.
Geoff Parr
An Emeritus Professor with the Tasmanian School of Art (now retired), Geoff Parr uses photographs arranged in multiples that morph into something else. In my favorite ‘East meets West’, taken in the late 1980’s, Parr highlights the people in colour, collaging them within multiple smog hazed black and white cityscape.
Parr’s work ‘Equality’ via fashion turns tradition inside out literally; the works in this show are modest in scale but robust on visual impact.
“The 1988 China artwork came just at the time when that vast country was beginning to open to world. Evidence was apparent on the streets, in dress and in the art studios and all against a background of a Maoist metaphor.”
Dale Richards
Represented by Despard for over twenty years, throughout the hundreds of paintings, drawings and monotypes produced, the artist has depicted human (oid) figures and animal within fantastical scenes.
Richards claims the characters in the images are from unknown sources and other than dreams, his characters are his own, leaving us to speculate about the artist’s subconscious mind.
The mask series, chosen for this show, is a perfect example of those fantastical characters that are so distinctive for Richards work. With an almost circus – like feel, the mask series takes you on a journey through a surrealistic dream.
Peter Ellis
Melbourne based Peter Ellis has had a life long fascination with animals. Bizarre and fascinating creatures created via his drawings and paintings have emerged from a childhood influenced by science, children’s books and later by surrealism in film and the visual arts.
Ellis recently exhibited at the NGV in Lurid Beauty: Australian Surrealism and its Echoes. As well as exhibiting numerous pieces, Peter was invited to paint the entrance wall for the show.
I am pleased to exhibit some significant works selected from the many included in this major NGV exhibition.
Online preview……
