STEPHEN ORMANDY ONLY DANCING Opening Reception: March 9, 6–8pm Exhibition: March 7 – April 10, 2018
Olsen Gruin is pleased to present Only Dancing, an exhibition of new abstract oil on linen paintings and resin sculptures by Australian artist Stephen Ormandy. Only Dancing marks Ormandy’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. Of his practice, Ormandy notes “my work is born of the subconscious mind.” Ormandy’s works explore his visual language by means of new motifs, triptych panels and wall-hanging sculptures. “I’m looking for vibration and rhythm, the play of line creating positive and negative space, searching for tonal balance through contrast or harmony, while developing chroma relationships that hug or repel.” Though Ormandy’s paintings are contemporary and personal, his imagery evokes Hans Arp, and Calder. This is perhaps born of Ormandy’s interest in past artists’ methods. One immediately registers a sophisticated assimilation of Matisse’s use of paper collage into Ormandy’s own compositional approach, evoking otherworldly figures and landscapes. His sculpture extends the formal and chromatic relationships of his paintings into sensual yet architectural forms. The result of a practice that is both rigorous and playful, they move and enclose the viewer in an imaginative and dynamic space of Ormandy’s fancy. The ‘only’ in Only Dancing implies both a freedom – ‘dancing and nothing else’ and a defense of the act of creation – ‘I’m only dancing.’ The works move sinuously through rhythms of shape, space, and color, art history, and abstract design.
Born in Melbourne, Stephen Ormandy graduated from The City Art Institute (now known as UNSW Art and Design) in Sydney in 1985. During his time at the college he met Louise Olsen and in their final year of study they established the design company Dinosaur Designs. Dinosaur Designs has grown to be one of Australia's leading design brands specialising in resin and metal jewellery and home wares. Alongside his role as Creative Director of Dinosaur Designs, Stephen Ormandy has maintained and continued his independent artistic practice. Ormandy is inspired by the natural world and informed by a strong design aesthetic based on colour and form. There is a discernible dialogue between his large-scale oil paintings and sculptural work, with line, shape and surface each informing the other. Ormandy was a finalist in the Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2015. In 2016 Stephen Ormandy and Louise Olsen published The Art of Dinosaur Designs that coincided with a travelling exhibition which has shows at Bega Regional Gallery and Hazelhurst Art Gallery. His work is held in public collections across Australia including Artbank, The Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, The Powerhouse Museum, The National Gallery of Victoria and The Art Gallery of Western Australia.
For further information please contact the gallery at info@olsengruin.com or at +1.646.525.6213. All images are subject to copyright. Gallery approval must be granted prior to reproduction.
Stephen Ormandy Spirit Tree, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 78 3/4 x 66 1/8 " (200 x 168 cm) 54083 SOLD
Stephen Ormandy Snake, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 22 x 18 1/8 " (56 x 46 cm) 54082 $3,600
Stephen Ormandy The Passenger, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 59 7/8 x 48 " (152 x 122 cm) 54087 $10,000
Stephen Ormandy Hot Rod Show, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 " (100 x 100 cm) 54080 SOLD
Stephen Ormandy Juggler, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 " (100 x 100 cm) 54081 $6,500
Stephen Ormandy Hermes, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 59 7/8 x 48 " (152 x 122 cm) 54079 $10,000
Stephen Ormandy Storm King One, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 63 x 47 1/4 " (160 x 120 cm) 54084 $10,600
Stephen Ormandy Storm King Two, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 63 x 47 1/4 " (160 x 120 cm) 54085 $10,600
Stephen Ormandy Storm King Three, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 63 x 47 1/4 " (160 x 120 cm) 54086 $10,600
Stephen Ormandy Fire Glow, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 48 x 48 " (122 x 122 cm) 54117 SOLD
Stephen Ormandy Bird On A Wire, 2018 Only Dancing Oil on linen 59 7/8 x 48 " (152 x 122 cm) 54078 $10,000
Stephen Ormandy Forrest Spirit, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 68 7/8 x 13 3/4 x 9 " (175 x 35 x 23 cm) 54099 $11,000
Stephen Ormandy Candy Leg, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 36 1/4 x 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 " (92 x 16 x 16 cm) 54100 $7,200
Stephen Ormandy Arch 3, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 21 1/4 x 13 x 6 1/4 " (54 x 33 x 16 cm) 54103 $5,000
Stephen Ormandy Gekko, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 41 3/8 x 16 7/8 x 3 1/8 " (105 x 43 x 8 cm) 54107 $6,500
Stephen Ormandy Mouse, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 29 7/8 x 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 " (76 x 16 x 16 cm) 54101 $5,000
Stephen Ormandy Touch, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 35 x 23 5/8 x 3 1/8 " (89 x 60 x 8 cm) 54106 $6,500
Stephen Ormandy Arch 2, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 19 5/8 x 13 x 6 1/4 " (50 x 33 x 16 cm) 54104 $5,000
Stephen Ormandy Seeker, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 31 1/2 x 11 3/4 x 5 7/8 " (80 x 30 x 15 cm) 54102 $5,000
Stephen Ormandy Arrow, 2018 Only Dancing Resin 47 1/4 x 17 3/8 x 3 1/8 " (120 x 44 x 8 cm) 54105 $6,500
Stephen Ormandy OB2, 2018 Edition of 8 Brushed Bronze 7 x 4 1/2 x 6 " (17.8 x 11.4 x 15.2 cm) 54118 $3,300 Master Edition
Stephen Ormandy OB3, 2018 Edition of 8 Brushed bronze 9 x 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 " (22.9 x 8.9 x 11.4 cm) 54119 $3,300 Master Edition
Stephen Ormandy OB4, 2018 Edition of 8 Brushed bronze 6 x 5 x 4 1/2 " (15.2 x 12.7 x 11.4 cm) 54128 $3,300 Master Edition
Stephen Ormandy OB5, 2018 Edition of 8 Brushed bronze 5 x 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 " (12.7 x 19.1 x 8.9 cm) 54137 $3,300 Master Edition
Stephen Ormandy OB6, 2018 Edition of 8 Brushed bronze Approx. 6 x 6 x 6 inches (15.2 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm) 54154 $3,300 Master Edition
Stephen Ormandy OB7, 2018 Edition of 8 Brushed bronze Approx. 6 x 6 x 6 inches (15.2 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm) 54163 $3,300 Master Edition
Stephen Ormandy Attention Seeker, 2018 Edition of 50 Limited edition fine art reproduction print image: 40 3/4 x 35 3/8" (103.5 x 90 cm); paper: 43 7/8 x 39 3/8" (111.5 x 100 cm) $2,000 (framed) 54174
Stephen Ormandy Crowded Room, 2018 Edition of 50 Limited edition fine art reproduction print image: 44 1/4 x 35 3/8" (112.5 x 90 cm); paper: 49 x 39 3/8" (124.5 x 100 cm) $2,000 (framed) 54176
Stephen Ormandy Titanium and Mars, 2018 Edition of 50 Limited edition fine art reproduction print image: 35 3/8 x 35 3/8" (90 x 90 cm) $2,000 (framed) 54175
STEPHEN ORMANDY CV Education: 1985 Bachelor of Arts, College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales SELECTED EXHIBITIONS: 2018 Only Dancing, Olsen Gruin, New York 2017 Olsen Gruin, New York 2017 Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Major Survey Exhibition 2016 Bega regional gallery, Olsen Ormandy the art of Dinosaur Designs 2016 Olsen Gallery, Ideography 2016 PKM Gallery Seoul 2016 Circuit 12 Contemporary, Dallas 2016 The Unit, London 2015 London Art Fair, Olsen Irwin 2015 Sulman Prize, Finalist 2014 Digital Organic, Olsen Irwin 2014 Olsen Ormandy: The art of Dinosaur Designs, Karen Woodbury, Melbourne 2014 Small works- A group exhibition, Olsen Irwin, Sydney 2014 On the table: Still lives, Olsen Irwin, Sydney 2013 Sydney Contemporary Stand D103, Olsen Irwin 2013 Regroup, Olsen Irwin Works on paper, small paintings and sculpture 2012 Polychromatism, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney 2012 Tim Olsen Gallery at the Melbourne Art Fair 2010 Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney 2008 Tim Olsen Gallery Annex, Sydney. 2008 2x2, Tim Olsen Gallery Annex, Sydney 2007 Freestyle, Object Gallery Sydney 2007 Smart Works, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney 2006 Freestyle, Melbourne Museum 2005 Dinosaur Designs Major Survey Exhibition, National Museum, Taipei 2005 Dinosaur Designs Major Survey Exhibition, Art House, Singapore 2004 Dinosaur Designs Major Survey Exhibition, Cairns Regional Gallery 2004 Tokyo Designers Block, Idee’ 2003 Dinosaur Designs Major Survey Exhibition, Object Galleries, Sydney 2002 Dinosaur Designs Major Survey Exhibition, Melbourne Museum, Craftwest Gallery, Perth, Craft Queensland, Brisbane and Spiral Gallery, Tokyo 2002 Objects of Desire, Object Gallery, Sydney 2002 Tokyo Designers, Block, Sputnik 2001 Interiors, Object Gallery, Sydney 2001 Design House, Felissimo, New York 2001 Ecologic, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney 2000 Bejeweled, Monash Gallery of Art Melbourne and Geelong Regional Art Gallery 1999 4+1, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney 1999 4A Gallery, Sydney 1998 Personal Effects/The Collective Unconscious, MCA Sydney 1998 Milan Furniture Fair 1993 Seed, Gallery Japan 1992 Local Heroes, Ipswitch Regional Art Gallery
1990 1989 1987 1986 1985
Australia and the Contemporary Art of Dress, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Australia and the Contemporary Art of Dress, Victoria & Albert Museum, London Galaxy Gallery, Balmain Post Graduate Show, Ivan Doughty Gallery, Sydney Art House Gallery, Sydney
COLLECTIONS: Artbank The Sir William Dobell Art Foundation Powerhouse Museum, (Dinosaur Designs) National Gallery of Victoria, (Dinosaur Designs)