Mosaic Entrance 1994

A classic example of Arkley’s use of the ‘moiré effect’ created by deliberately misaligned stencilled dot patterning – resembling a poorly printed version of the Benday system referenced by Roy Lichtenstein and other Pop artists (see Carnival 73-75). The variegated dots also set up diverse pulsing rhythms recalling Op Art. Thus the apparently straightforward suburban subject becomes enmeshed in a complex web of artistic reference, in a brilliant display of Arkley’s ‘postmodern’ tendencies.

This painting was acquired for a corporate collection in 1994, and subsequently included in Arkley’s Venice ‘Home Show’. It was auctioned in 2005, and has changed hands at auction several times since.

Provenance

• acquired from Tolarno for the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Collection
• auctioned by Sotheby’s, Sydney, 21/3/05, lot 28 (as ‘The Mosaic Entrance’;other dets. as above; sold for $136,625)
• P/C Melb. (acc.to Deutscher-Menzies 12/09)
• auctioned by Joel’s, Melb., 14/8/07 (ill and dets. as above; est.$280-320,000; not sold) and Deutscher-Menzies 5/12/07, lot 26 (sold for $336,000)
• P/C Melb. (acc.to Deutscher-Menzies 12/09)
• auctioned by Deutscher-Menzies, Sydney, 12 Dec.2009, lot 37 (ill., details as above, but size given as 203 x 153; est.$200-260,000; sold for $240,000 including buyer’s premium)

Exhibited

• HA Tolarno 11/94 (‘Pointillist Suburb series’), cat.2 ($10,000)
• HA Venice 1999 (‘Home Show’)

Literature

• K.Lovegrove, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Contemporary Art Collection, Melbourne: Impact Art, n.d. (cited by Sotheby’s 3/05)
• Livingstone & Morrell 1999 (HA Venice exh.cat.), p.24 (ill.)
• Carnival 73-75 and Fig.2.22