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High Point (2015) DETAIL diptych; oil & acrylic on canvas 1

High Point (2015) diptych; oil & acrylic on canvas, size overall: 1530 x 3050 x 25 mm

Cold Point (2015)

oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1400 x 1550 x 45 mm

Moraine Wall (2015)

oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1155 x 1155 x 37 mm

Crystal Clear (2015) oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1155 x 1155 x 37 mm

Ice Age (2010)

canvas, size overall: 2140 x 3060 x 35 mm, stretchers: 2140 x 1530 mm each

White Rush (2015)

oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1155 x 1155 x 37 mm

Tarn Shelf (2015)

oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1155 x 1155 x 37 mm

White Light (2015)

oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1155 x 1155 x 37 mm

Ice Slice (2015)

oil & acrylic on canvas, frame: 1155 x 1155 x 36 mm

White Slide (2015) High Point Study (2015)

diptychs; oil & acrylic on canvas, frames: 647 x 1265 x 37 mm each

“My paintings lie somewhere between abstraction and figuration – textured and layered surfaces are juxtaposed with deeply recessed spaces into which the viewer can journey.” (1)

These are not conventional landscapes, they are imaginative reinventions which convey powerful physical essences and attain an extraordinary state of sensory immersion.

This exhibition, Escapist, is deeply informed by the artist’s experience of Antarctica and the Southern Alps of NZ.

Ice Age (2010) is an utterly compelling work with surfaces so dense and convincingly cold it seems to have been hewn straight from the Antarctic itself. Neil Frazer builds in all his works a profoundly sensory experience where the role and language of temperature is as important as other key visual information.

The sculptural qualities of these paintings are everywhere evident. The thickly worked, (at times) gestural surfaces are so fluid and tactile they advance from the two-dimensional canvas and establish a physicality that furthers the subject matter.

He uses the sky as a – seemingly contradictory - void. Presented flat and white, what is apparently absent is unmistakably present. This stylistic mastery adds significant painterly dialogues – the sharp relief of the landscape edge, the endlessness of alpine distance, the immensity of scale and locale.

Frazer’s eye for detail, conveyed so convincingly in a myriad of ways including that of the absence/presence duality in these paintings is extended again in such works as Cold Point (2015), Ice Slice (2015) and Crystal Clear (2015) where mirror reflection is given the same pictorial weight as the landscape

1. Neil Frazer, Artist Statement in untitled catalogue, Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane, July 2010

NEIL FRAZER

b. 1961, lives Sydney, Australia

“The oddly compelling nature of Neil Frazer’s body of work is not solely the result of his handling of paint. The power of the works hinges on his creation of a duality of spatial illusion and material literalness on a scale that is all-involving. The picture plane is rendered elusive, replaced by optical recession and tactile fact, resisting a complete assimilation of the image. The works all operate on this frontal/recessive contradiction, evoking simultaneously thick, constructive curtains of paint and veiled depths.” (1)

"In his recent paintings the landscape is clearly a source and impetus for his imagery... the muscularity and painterliness of his surfaces clearly show that he has brought to these works the lessons and disciplines of abstract painting. These paintings - although landscapes - could only have been made by a sophisticated abstract painter." (2)

In Frazer’s large-scale oil paintings, paint is often laid in thick impasto so that it protrudes from the canvas. “Frazer works his canvases on the vertical, attached to the wall, and applies the paint in a variety of ways, including rags, brushes and his own hands. Often in the later stages, he flicks the paint with his fingers straight from the tube onto the canvas, the twist of his wrist creating regular, bright loops of colour which articulate the surface of the painting, erupting away from the receding nebulous tones of the background.” (3)

Neil Frazer: “I’m not trying to make paintings that solve world problems or hold out a mirror to society, but I believe painting has the power to provoke thought and feeling and can make a positive contribution”. (4)

Frazer was born in Canberra Australia in 1961 and moved to New Zealand in 1965. He completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch in 1985 and attended the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture, New York, USA in 1986. From 1996 to 1999, Frazer was a lecturer at Illam, School of Fine Art, University of Canterbury until he moved to Sydney, where he now resides. He graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts, Sydney, Australia in 2000.

Neil has been exhibiting since the early 80s and has had over 40 solo exhibitions. He has received many premier awards and fellowships in New Zealand and Australia, including the 1992 Frances Hodgkin’s Fellowship at the University of Otago and being a finalist in Australia’s prestigious and longest running art awards, the Wynne Prize, in both 2010 and 2011. His work is included in most major public, corporate and private collections in New Zealand including the National Bank, Fletcher Challenge and the Christchurch Art Gallery.

1.LisaBeaven,‘NeilFrazerRecentPaintings’,ArtNewZealand66,Autumn1993.

2.MartinBrownequotedbyDonnaDuggan,'White-out',Mindfood,April2008.

3.FelicityMilburn,‘NeilFrazer:StretchedtotheLimit’,McDougallArtAnnex,1996.

4.NeilFrazerquotedinMichaelMcHugh‘OppositesAttract’FQEntertaining,Winter,1998.

NeilFrazer:TimeLapseStudy(2011)

NEIL FRAZER

b. 1961, lives Sydney, Australia

EDUCATION

2000 Master of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, Sydney, Australia

1986

New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture, New York, USA

1985 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury, Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch

SOLO EXHIBITIONS (selectedfrom1993)

2015 Escapist, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2014

The Art of Connecting – Neil Frazer, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Sydney, Australia

New Paintings, Bowen Galleries, Wellington

Hard Edge, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, Australia

2013 Paintings, Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane, Australia

Martin Browne Contemporary at Auckland Art Fair, Auckland

2012 Breaker, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, Australia

2011 Time and Tide, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Fracture, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, Australia

2010 Snow, Rock, Sand, milford galleries queenstown

2009

Neil Frazer, Philip Bacon Galleries, Queensland

White Sky, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney, Australia

2008 Melt, milford galleries queenstown

Bowen Galleries, Wellington

Perfect Day, milford galleries auckland

2007 Selected Works 1996 – 2007, milford galleries auckland

Southern Elevations, milford galleries queenstown

Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney, Australia

2006 Viewfinder, milford galleries auckland

Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney, Australia

2005 Recent Paintings, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Second Nature, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney, Australia

2004 Super Nature, milford galleries auckland

Recent Abstract Works, milford galleries queenstown

Painting, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney, Australia

Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch

2003 Bowen Gallery, Wellington

2002 Michael Carr Gallery, Sydney, Australia

New Works, milford galleries auckland

2001 Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch

2000 Over the Edge, milford galleries auckland

Michael Carr Gallery, Sydney, Australia

1999 Olsen Carr Gallery, Sydney, Australia

1998 Gravity, Milford Galleries Dunedin

1997 Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch

1996 Robert McDougall Art Annex, Survey Exhibition, Christchurch

Brooker Gallery, Wellington

New Paintings, Milford Galleries Dunedin

1995 Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland

Brooker Gallery, Wellington

1994 Luba Bilu Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch

1993 Hocken Library Gallery, Dunedin

Luba Bilu Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

(selectedfrom1993)

2015 Botanica, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, Australia

2014 Significant Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2013 Summer Exhibition, Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane, Australia

Royal Queenstown Easter Show, milford galleries Queenstown

Martin Browne Contemporary at Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Sydney, Australia

2012 Significant Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Martin Browne Contemporary at Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, Australia

Hight / Frazer / Hunt, milford galleries queenstown

2011 Game on, Hastings Regional Art Gallery, Hastings

PARALLEL, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Wynne Prize Finalist, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Australia

Royal Queenstown Easter Show, milford galleries Queenstown

Large Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2010 White, University of New Castle Gallery, Australia (Group Exhibition motivated by 10 day travel in Antarctica)

Autumn Show, milford galleries queenstown

Wynne Prize Finalist, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Australia

2009 Southern Traverse, milford galleries queenstown

Southern Landscape, milford galleries queenstown

2008 On the Heysen Trail, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney, Australia

Selected Works, milford galleries queenstown

Autumn Catalogue, Martin Browne Fine Art Sydney, Australia

2007 Devils in Paradise, Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney, Australia

Looking South, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Martin Browne Contemporary at Auckland Art Fair, Auckland

Auckland Art Fair, milford galleries auckland

Autumn Catalogue, Martin Browne Fine Art Sydney, Australia

Winter Catalogue, Martin Browne Fine Art Sydney, Australia

2006 Chosen, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Location South, Milford Galleries Dunedin

A Feeling for Space, the Landscape Now, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney, Australia

Postcards from the Desert, Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney, Australia

In the Heat of Summer, Martin Browne Fine Art Sydney, Australia

2005 Auckland Art Fair, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2004 OverView; Abstraction & Still Life, Milford Galleries Dunedin

ABN AMRO Art Award, Finalist, Sydney, Australia

Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne, Australia

Visiting Artist, Norsewear Art Awards, Hastings, Auckland

2003 Neil Frazer/John Nicol/Wendy Fairclough, milford galleries auckland

James Wallace Art Award Finalist, Auckland

Martin Browne Fine Art Sydney, Australia

Norsewear Art Award Guest Artist, Hastings

New England Art Gallery, Armidale, NSW, Australia

2002 Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne, Australia

2001 Over the Back Fence, Bowen Galleries, Christchurch

1999 Rees/Cleverley/Ritchie/Braithwaite/Frazer, milford galleries auckland

1998 Art for Life Charity Auction, Christchurch

40 out 40, McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch

1997 Selected Abstract Paintings, Milford Galleries Dunedin

1994 Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne, Australia

Recent Acquisitions, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

2013 People’s Choice Award, Fleurieu Art Prize, Adelaide, Australia

2012 Members Choice Award, Tattersalls Art Prize, Brisbane, Australia

2011 Wynne Prize, Finalist, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

2010 Wynne Prize, Finalist, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

2008 Finalist, Fleurieu Art Prize, Adelaide, Australia

2004 ABN AMRO Art Award, Finalist, Sydney, Australia

2003 James Wallace Art Award Finalist, Auckland

Norsewear Art Award Guest Artist, Hastings

1993 Victoria College of the Arts, Artist in Residence at the Dunmoochin Foundation, Melbourne, Australia

Awarded Artist Residency at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Australia

1992 Francis Hodgkins Fellowship, Otago University, Dunedin

1986 New Zealand Arts Councils Grant

1986 Fulbright Travel Grant for study New York Studio School

1984 Sawtell Turner Painting Prize, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

1983 Ethel Rose Overton Scholarship, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Newcastle Art Gallery, NSW, Australia

Artbank, Australian Government Initiative, Australia

Macquarie Bank Limited, Sydney, Australia

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, Christchurch

Dunmoochin Foundation, Melbourne, Australia

St George Foundation, Sydney, Australia

Baker & McKenzie, Sydney, Australia

Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North Lincoln College Art Collection, Christchurch

National Bank Art Collection, Auckland, Wellington & New Plymouth

Otago University Collection, Dunedin

Bond University Art Gallery, Queensland, Australia

Victoria University Collection, Wellington

Hocken Library Collection, Dunedin

Germanos Collection, Sydney

Deloitte Collection, Auckland

Electro Corporation, Wellington

University of Canterbury, Christchurch

Glasshouse Regional Gallery, Port Macquarie, Australia

Lake Macquarie Art Gallery, Australia

University of Newcastle Art Gallery, Australia

Manning River Art Gallery, Australia

Lismore Regional Gallery, Australia

Riddoch Art Gallery, Australia

Muswellbrook Art Gallery, Australia

Gold Coast City Gallery, Surfers Paradise, Australia