Discocacti 1986



Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 160 x 120

signed, dated and titled [on reverse: ‘Howard Arkley /1986 / Discocati {sic} – acc. to HA Monash 1991]

Coll.unknown [last auctioned Oct.2022]

Shown in HA Tolarno 9/86; widely known through its inclusion in the Budget ‘Young Australians’ collection, which toured various Australian venues 1987-89. Discussed in Carnival 172 as typical of Arkley’s cacti in general.

Provenance

  • Budget Transport Industries ‘Young Australians’ coll. (from c.1987)
  • With Martin Browne Fine Arts 1991 (acc.to HA Monash 1991)
  • Auctioned by Sotheby’s Melbourne, 27 Sept.1992 (ill.; est.$4,500-$7000)
  • Auctioned again by Sotheby’s Melb., 18 June 1995, lot 279 (est.$5-8,000)
  • P/C Melb. c.1996 (Spray research card: copy in A)
  • Auctioned by Menzies, Melb., 27 Feb.2020, lot 32 (details as shown here; est.$90-140,000; not sold)
  • Auctioned by Leonard Joel, Melb., 25 Oct.2022, lot 14 (details as shown; est.$75-95,000; sold for $75,000 plus buyer’s premium)

Exhibited

  • HA Tolarno 9/86, cat.2
  • ‘Young Australians’ (Budget Coll.), NGV, Aug.-Sept. 1987 (and regional galleries 1987-89), cat.14
  • HA Monash 1991, cat.56 (details as above)
  • ‘Downtown’, Heide, March-May 1995

Literature

  • Engberg 1987: 386 (ill.)
  • Lindsay 1987 (Budget coll.), cat.14
  • Carnival 172 and Fig.6.15