‘Howard Arkley’, Anima Gallery, Adelaide, Oct.-Nov.1987



‘Howard Arkley’, Anima Gallery, 239 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide, 30 Oct. – {?} Nov. 1987

The check-list indicates that 8 Arkley canvases were shown (alongside a number of prints by Sally Robinson). No installation photos appear to exist, but the check-list provides the details listed below, including dates, facilitating correct identifications. All the paintings except cat.no.8 had been shown before, several (nos.2-5) first exhibited just the month before in Sydney, at Arkley’s solo show at Roslyn Oxley9.

Critic Lynn Collins, in a brief review in the Adelaide Advertiser, found the works hard to like, describing them as ‘relentless’ and ‘disturbing’.

(photo: verso of invitation; original in Arkley’s files)

Works shown (all the canvases are listed as 160 x 122 in size, and priced at $4,000):

1.      Agave Parviflora 1985: this was the first exhibition of this work with this title and date (first shown at Tolarno in Oct.1983 as ‘Peel of the Orange’); subsequently reproduced as here (actually, mis-spelt ‘Parvilora’) in Art & Australia (see Engberg 1987), and also shown thus in HA Monash 1991 (cat.55)

2.      Still Life Petunias 1987: 1st exh.in HA’s solo show at Roslyn Oxley9 in Sept.1987 (no.4); subsequently in the BP collection

3.      Felony 1987: 1st exh. Sept.1987 at Roslyn Oxley9 (HA); later exh. in HA Monash 1991, cat.63

4.      Zappo Head 1987 [Oxley]: 1st exh.Sept.1987 at Roslyn Oxley9 (HA)

5.      The Ritual 1986: 1st exh.HA Tolarno 9/86 and then HA Roslyn Oxley9, 9/87

6.      Strange Fruit (1987): also 1st exh.HA Roslyn Oxley9, 9/87: the question is, though, exactly which work this was – also possibly Physiognomy (1987) [see now comments above re the 1987 Roslyn Oxley show]

7.      Cartographer 1983: 1st exh.Roslyn Oxley9, June 1983 (HA)

8.      Ever Feel Like Drowning 1987: this was the first exhibition of this work, later shown at HA Monash 1991, cat.61