At the very end – the full stop is Peter Upward – a large slash of calligraphic crusty paint in June Celebration.
This work left me gob smacked at the symposium on Abstract Expressionism at the National Gallery of Australia. Seeing it for the umpteenth time hasn’t dulled the feeling when standing before it.
This room, the last leg of the exhibition includes some important Australian abstractionist in Tony Tuckson, Ian Fairweather and Ralph Balson. The works will be the first to come down as the exhibition moves into the last throes. This end of the gallery has had a range of amazing exhibitions and despite feeling tucked away there is a feeling of intimacy with the works. I remember being down here with the Helen Frankenthaler woodblocks in Against the Grain and the Andy Warhol screen prints. Now I will remember being down there with Peter Upwards sister standing before June Celebration. The facing wall of works include Grace Hartigan and Franz Kline so will form the next post.
wow you have ots of stuff to inspire you. Do you do a little sketch when you go to these things?
Sometimes, funnily enough it’s the scribbly note about a work in the exhibition which will change what I’m doing. I was really impressed by Morris Louis works that now make me want to pare right back.
I need to go to more exhibitions. It definitely is good for us.