Tattooed Hands 1983



Alternate title: Hands
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 160 x 120
signed, dated and titled [on reverse: ‘Howard Arkley 1983 Tattooed Hands’]
Collection of Elaine Baker and John Cruthers, Sydney

Shown with the ‘Tattooed’ series in 1983 (‘Vox Pop’) and generally thereafter. According to the artist (as quoted in Spray), ‘the hands were taken from photographs of prison tattoos’.

Provenance

  • history prior to 1988 unknown
  • purchased by present owner from Niagara Gallery, Melbourne, 1988 (according to NGV Arkley exh.files 2006)

Exhibited

  • NGV 12/83 (‘Vox Pop’; with ‘Tattooed’ series)
  • HA Roslyn Oxley9, 5/84, cat.12 (as Hands)
  • HA Monash 1991, cat.48 (with ‘Tattooed’ series)
  • HA retrospective 2006-7 (with ‘Tattooed’ series; shown in Melbourne & Brisbane)
  • HA TarraWarra 12/15-2/16 (with ‘Tattooed’ series)

Literature

  • Spray 52 (inc. ill.): cited above