Felony (1983)



Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 160 x 120

Collection: unknown

First shown in HA Tolarno 10/83, and then at ANZART Edinburgh (U.K.) in 1984. Easily confused (as in Spray and in the 2006-7 retrospective check-list) with the almost identical 1987 variant, Felony 1987.

The main source is a 1960s children’s book illustration (reproduced in Carnival Fig.4.19). See also Untitled [Felony study] (1982) [W/P] (the earliest version) and Felony (1983) [W/P].

NB new information received from Deutscher and Hackett in 2023 clarified the fact that this canvas was not the work exhibited in the 2006-7 NGVA Arkley retrospective (as previously indicated in this catalogue, via the retrospective check-list); the work shown there was actually the 1987 variant.

Provenance

  • unknown

Exhibited

  • HA Tolarno 10/83, cat.5
  • ANZART Edinburgh 8/84

Literature

  • Brophy 1985: 78 (B&W photo of the work as shown at ANZART Edinburgh)
  • NB the work illustrated in Spray 65 as this painting is actually Felony 1987