Christoper Pyett

CHRISTOPHER PYETT Until the body gives out

6 – 24 July 2021

AU S T R A L I A N GA L L E R I E S MELBOURNE

Artist in the Studio 2020

AU S T R A L I A N GA L L E R I E S MELBOURNE

Invites you to the opening

CHRISTOPHER PYETT Until the body gives out Tuesday 6 July 2021 6pm – 8pm 28 Derby Street Collingwood VIC 3066 Current until Saturday 24 July 2021 Open 7 days 10am – 6pm T 03 9417 2422 melbourne@australiangalleries.com.au australiangalleries.com.au

Front cover: Grayed chooks (detail) 2020 oil on canvas 65 x 183 cm

Colour experiment 11 2019-20 oil on canvas board 13 x 18 cm

UNTIL THE BODY GIVES OUT (Quote from the book, ‘Birth of a Theorem’ by Cédric Villani) Christopher Pyett is an Australian painter who has been working seriously for more than sixty years.

He studied at the Tasmanian School of Art from 1961-64 under the tutorage of Jack Carrington-Smith, Dorothy Stoner and George Davis. He studied colour theory with Dorothy Stoner and his love and understanding for expressive colour was born. In memory of Dorothy K. Stoner 2015, was painted to document the basic relationships to be found in the colour circle and is a personal tribute to her teaching.

Most of the paintings in this exhibition contain the figurative element of a bird. In recent times, Pyett has found it necessary to build paintings around a figurative form. He is not interested in a realistic rendition, rather a suggestion of movement, a flash of colour or an opportunity to decorate using shape and colour that suit the needs of the painting.

In recent years, the artist feels his painting has become more meditative. The progress of each work is slower, change is more radical, and the finished work, for him, more convincing. He is interested in the writings of mathematicians; not because he understands the mathematics, but the inspirational thoughts that inspire new ways of thinking about painting.

This exhibition also presents a number of Pyett’s small colour experiments. These paintings were initially about shape, weight, direction, and emotion. On reflection, the small paintings summarise the depth of the artist’s musical and poetic interests. Their intimate scale command space.

Ebb tide 2019 oil on board 22 x 120 cm

Grayed chooks 2020 oil on canvas 65 x 183 cm

In memory of Dorothy K. Stoner 2015 oil on canvas on board 126 x 186 cm

Sparrows enjoying the cool light of summer 2021 oil on canvas 76 x 122 cm

High water 2019 oil on board 22 x 122 cm

Sparrows in the sunlight under our table in the memory of Tony Woods 2021 oil on canvas 50 x 118 cm

The lemon tree 2021 oil on canvas 55 x 117.5 cm

CHRISTOPHER PYETT

Colour experiment 1 2019-20 oil on canvas board 13 x 18 cm

AU S T R A L I A N GA L L E R I E S MELBOURNE: Derby Street 03 9417 4303 Stock Rooms 03 9417 2422 SYDNEY: Roylston Street 02 9360 5177 enquiries@australiangalleries.com.au australiangalleries.com.au Design and Production by Publishing