Dale Richards has been represented by Despard Gallery for thirty-five years, which has included seventeen solo and joint exhibitions, as well as presenting Richards’ work fifteen times at various art fairs in the USA, Sydney and Melbourne. The broad appeal and absorbing nature of his work is also reflected in the countless number of acquisitions into both private and public collections, such as the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, University of Tasmania and Art Bank.
Most distinctive to this selection of Richards’ work is his depiction of the figure, often captured in dynamic motion or gathered in a gritty social scene. This may include a figure flying over a caravan of travellers, a solitary figure running on a beach or multiple figures in a state of physical struggle, battling against the elements. Underlying each of these compositions is a sense of drama or urgency, describing an unfolding narrative through the expressive power of the human form, often accentuated through costume, gesture and pose. With works that seamlessly shifts from fanciful to edgy, Richards’ work is often described as surreal, combining an anxious assortment of symbols to visually describe enigmatic psychological states and unconscious thought.
This work has been held in a private collection Melbourne and is presented in its original frame. The work is signed lower right.
This is a classic example of Richards’ unique state monotype prints. This has been a technique regularly used by Richards, where a piece of paper is pressed onto the surface of a wet painting to create a mirrored version. Both pieces are then reworked by Richards to create unique artworks.
DALE RICHARDS
Woman 2002
oil on paper [unique state monotype print]
40.5 x 50.5 cm
Signed lower right
[original frame]
$2,350
PROVENANCE: Private Collection Melbourne