Two Gizmos 1994



Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 160 x 120

Signed, dated and titled (verso)

Collection: Simon Wright, Brisbane

This painting was previously listed in the current catalogue as unidentified. In June 2023, the owner advised that he bought it from Arkley’s 1994 exhibition of monochrome works at Bellas Gallery (where he was gallery manager, c.1993-98), together with Grace with Space 1994. Many thanks to Simon Wright for providing details and the photo shown here (email correspondence, June-July 2023).

The stylized image of two cactoid figures reprises several earlier cactus compositions, dating back to the early 1980s. It is particularly closely related to a small sketch included in the source material exhibited in Zappo; and source material (1988 and earlier) [W/P] (panel now in Queensland Art Gallery, lower right). See also Twin Propogation (1994) [W/P], a work on paper variant exhibited in Hobart in August 1994.

Provenance

  • Bellas Gallery, Brisbane, 1994 (listed in HA’s 1993-6 stock-book)
  • Purchased from the above by present owner, 1994

Exhibited

  • HA Bellas, Brisbane, 5/94 (‘Black & White Paintings and works on paper’), cat.no.6: details as shown here ($6,000)