2015

In a year of consolidation for Arkley’s recognized oeuvre and reputation, several important, rarely-seen early Arkleys surfaced at auction. In June, Lattice and Grids 1980 [aka ‘Lattices’] (formerly listed under 1981) and Leaves and Flowers 1981, both included in Arkley’s “Recent Works” exhibition at Tolarno in July 1981, appeared in Bonhams’ Sydney auction, among a group of works from private collections curated by John Cruthers: see Rattan 2015 and Crawford 2015. Suburban (1983), last glimpsed publicly in 1985, was passed in at Shapiro in April, and then sold at Deutscher & Hackett’s Sydney auction in August, where one of the Four Chairs (1981-91) [3/M] also appeared.

Actual Fractual (1994), one of the “Pointillist Suburb series” originally shown at Tolarno in Nov.1994, was bought by the National Gallery of Victoria, following an appeal for public contributions towards the purchase.

In December, a major new survey of Arkley’s work opened at the TarraWarra Museum of Art: for details, see now linked entry. A range of new insights emerged from the exhibition and the accompanying catalogue, and various additions and adjustments to the present catalogue ensued (refer Current update for major new or amended entries).