McLEAN EDWARDS REBECCA
Cover: McLean Edwards Untitled 2020 oil on linen 122 x 153 cm
McLEAN EDWARDS REBECCA 29 April – 23 May 2020
The Shock of the Nude Tim Olsen Here we are, surrounded by a plethora of women. Viewing these works I said that I thought his experience has resulted in his best resolved works as yet, and this exhibition is testament to that. Growing up with parents who were artists, witnessing life drawing classes from an early age, public nudity was no novelty for me. Living in Dunmoochin, a country artists’ community, during the 60s, everybody was swimming naked in the local dam whilst cooling off during the summer heatwaves. Naked Bohemia was not exclusive to British Pre-Raphaelites. We talk of the British art critic John Berger in his book of essays on art criticism, Ways of Seeing, where he presents comparisons and contrasts in figurative art whilst scrolling through images of the nude throughout art history. He questions the psychology of the intention of the artist. Is the figure being portrayed as either nude or naked? Nudity to be that of natural selfless unawareness, to being disrobed, or naked, as one narcissistically, posturing toward the viewer in provocative terms. Either way I feel we are not always necessarily projecting ourselves to have sex with that nude. Berger enhanced the notion that the nude is a reflection of nature, and a display of the complexity of humankind. From Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus to Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe, we see the extreme examples of such contrasts between the nude as purity and the triumph of the feminine. As opposed to the unclad women in Manet’s painting where the figure is definitely naked, sexually gazing toward the viewer amongst her post-picnic male entourage, as though about to be served up as desert. Having been an art student myself, the life drawing class was not so much engaging with the model as a person, but an exercise in understanding light and form. As Cezanne once observed, ‘The essential qualities of nature can be appreciated through the human figure, the body itself is a construction and configuration of the cone, cube and sphere’. What more does a student need? Whilst beauty and sexuality make up the vital axioms of how artists have utilised the nude, it has also been the vehicle by which they have defined the state of civilisation and the perception of humanity. From Egyptian through to Greek. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus believed that everything must evolve and change (as we are particularly understanding now in the world at the moment). He would have observed the work of Phidias with his Statue of Zeus at Olympia in the 5th Century BC. From then on, the nude was an idealisation that was then transported through to the art of the Renaissance. Raphael, Piero della Francesca and Botticelli. Here began the tradition of the celebration of civilisation and the glorification of spirituality through the figure.
However, things changed after the First World War when the brutality of humankind was exposed. Where there was no longer justice and the hunger for power denigrated the human condition. Francis Bacon depiction of the figure reduced humanity to flesh. Picasso, despite his extraordinary skill, illuminated the sadness and melancholy of society as expressed in the figures of his Blue Period, there is a loss of hope. Picasso’s Guernica epitomises this despair of ‘clinging to power’ through the act of a civil war. He deployed the truth through his art, the general lack of trust between humankind. To return to Heraclitus, his basic understanding of ideas and how art and ideas would always be influenced by constant flux and change. That you cannot step into and out of the river twice and expect things to be the same. No matter how many times the artist returns to the figure throughout history, so much water has flowed under the bridge. Mclean Edwards’ exhibition traverses the various women he has recently encountered, they highlight the diversity by which he deals with each individual. There lies the intimacy within each work which explores the quirks in each interaction. Underplaying dialogue and experiences with the model, the full extent of the conversation and dialogue remains private, but we are moved to interpret and investigate. These works unequivocally oscillate between the fleshy and sensuous, each figure is a bathing in a different sensory experience. Others provide a satire. Throughout this exhibition there is a display of times and experience. John Olsen announced to Edwards that there was an “Irishness and quirk in the work”, rather like that of Jack Yeats. Each image provides a skilled commentary that can never be confused with animation. Edwards’ exhibition is an exploration full of interpretation and deeper metaphor, where the nude and the figure illuminates and reflects a deeper mystery to what the artist himself is engaged with, in regard to his own personal narrative. Tim Olsen 2020
The Orange Grove 2020 oil and pencil on canvas 137 x 128 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 112 x 102 cm
Nudes 2020 oil on linen 122 x 122 cm
Nudes #2 2020 oil on linen 120 x 100 cm
Nude 2020 oil on polyester 110 x 80 cm
French Nude 2020 oil on polyester 103 x 88.5 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 107 x 92 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 102 x 92 cm
The nurse in the yellow skirt 2020 oil on linen 178 x 81.5 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 237 x 94 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 168 x 153 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 183 x 137 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 120 x 100 cm
Untitled 2019 oil on linen 153 x 121 cm
Untitled 2019 oil on linen 168 x 138 cm
Night Swimming in the Aud 2020 oil on linen 183 x 137 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 213 x 168 cm
Untitled 2020 oil on linen 199 x 153 cm
Untitled 2019 oil on linen 183 x 121 cm
Untitled 2019 oil on linen 153 x 122 cm
Untitled 2019 oil on linen 153 x 122 cm
Untitled 2019 oil on linen 153 x 122 cm
Bronte (India) 2020 oil on linen 103 x 92 cm
Character for a Big Painting 2020 oil on linen 102 x 102 cm
The designer 2020 oil on linen 122 x 122 cm
The Tube 2020 oil on canvas 122 x 122 cm
Landscape Portrait 2020 oil on linen 122 x 122 cm
Tahiti 2020 oil on linen 91.5 x 91.5 cm
McLEAN EDWARDS McLean Edwards studied at the Canberra School of Art. Since that time he has exhibited his work in numerous group and solo shows including the Archibald Prize at the AGNSW in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013, and is the 2019 Sulman Prize Winner. McLean currently lives and works in Sydney.
Born:
1972 Darwin, Northern Territory
Lives:
Sydney, Australia
Education: Canberra School of Art
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2019
Everything Once, Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2017
Marsupials, Olsen Gruin, New York, U.S.A
2016
Knock Knock, Nicholas Projects, Melbourne
2014
Local Heroes, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2013
The Art of Connecting: McLean Edwards, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Sydney
2013
Imaginary Friends and Black Portraits, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2012
Here Comes Everybody, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2011
Dream Juggler, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW
2011
Basic Instinct, Karen Woodbury Gallery, Melbourne
2010
Bad Habits, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, Goulburn, NSW
2010
Bad Habits, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2009
New Works, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2008
The End, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2007
New Works, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2006
Non Fiction, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2005
The Revenge of Maggie Dubrovnik, Martin Browne Fine Art, Melbourne
2004
Mexican Brides, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2003
Down and Dirty for the Lord, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2003
Opening Exhibition, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2002
Year of the Rat, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2002
Recent Paintings and Drawings, Chapman Gallery, Manuka ACT
2002
Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2001
Headway, Legge Gallery, Sydney
2000
I wanted to be normal for You, Legge Gallery, Sydney
2000
The trembling man paintings, Chapman Gallery, Canberra
1999
Recent works, Legge Gallery, Sydney
1998
Nudes and other recent works, Chapman Gallery, Canberra
1998
New Paintings, Legge Gallery, Sydney
1998
Give ‘em hell Galeri Tenguh, Jakarta, Indonesia
1997
Pygmalion, Legge Gallery, Sydney
1996
Silly boy paintings, Legge Gallery, Sydney
1995
Portraits, Legge Gallery, Sydney
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2019
Sulman Prize, Winner, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2018
Antumbra, Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2017
Sydney Contemporary, Olsen Gruin Gallery
2016
Salon des Refuses, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2016
Winter Exhibition, Heiser Gallery, Brisbane
2015
Art Month Collectors’ Space, The Hughes Gallery, Sydney
2015
Five Artists, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW
2014
Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Juniper Hall, Sydney
2013
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2010
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2010
Quirky from the Collection, Newcastle Regional Art Gallery, Newcastle
2009
The University of Queensland National Artist's Self-Portrait Prize, Brisbane
2009
Linde Ivimey and McLean Edwards, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2008
Autumn Exhibition, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2008
New Works by Gallery Artists, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2007
Summer Exhibition, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2007
Autumn Catalogue, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2007
Winter Catalogue, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2007
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2006
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2004
Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2004
Sulman Prize, Finalist, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
2003
A Selection of 20th Century Contemporary Australian and New Zealand Art, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2003
A Selection of Important 20th Century Australian Paintings, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2002
Seventh Australia Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne
2002
A Summer Show, December, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2001
Seventh Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne
2001
Sulman Prize, Finalist, Art Gallery of NSW
1999
Contemporary Art: Allen Allen & Hemsley Collection, UTS Gallery Sydney
1998
Sixth Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne
1997
Yogyakarta Art Fair 1997 Five Painters, Legge Gallery
1997
Sanguine Valediction, Legge Gallery
1996
Kings Art Prize, Kings College
1996
Fifth Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne
1995
Summer Exhibition, Legge Gallery
1994
Travelling Art Scholarship, Works Gallery, UNSW
1994
Artists Don't Believe In Sanity Clause, Legge Gallery
COLLECTIONS:
1346 Venice Collection Australian War Memorial Museum, Canberra Newcastle Region Art Gallery, Newcastle Allens Arthur Robinson Artbank Bond University BHP Collection Deutsche Bank Dubbo Regional Gallery Germanos Collection, Sydney Gold Coast City Gallery Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Hong Kong investors Orange Regional Gallery PT Kodel (Indonesia) Private Collections in Australia, New Zealand, UK, U.S.A and Indonesia University of Queensland Art Museum
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: Saskia Beudel, ‘McLean Edwards’, Artist Profile magazine, Issue 47, 2019. Erik Jensen, ‘McLean Edwards’ portrait in the Salon’, Look magazine, Art Gallery Society of New South Wales, December 2016/ January 2017. Helena Geilinger, ‘McLean Edwards’, Knock Knock, August 2016. Carrie McCarthy, ‘McLean Edwards, Delightfully Dishevelled’, Cultural Flanerie, 21 July, 2014. Elizabeth Fortescue, ‘Portrait of the artist and his imaginary friends’, Daily Telegraph, 30 May 2013. Nick O’Malley, ‘Palettes loaded, lines drawn’, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 December 2011 p. 4-5. Issuu Andrew Frost, ‘Head-into the Black: McLean Edwards’, Art Monthly Australia, Issue 237 March 2011, p. 23-25. Andrew Frost ‘McLean Edwards: Eventually No More’, Art Collector magazine Issue 57, July-September 2011. Steve Lopes, ‘McLean Edwards’, Artist Profile magazine, Issue 08 2009 p. 54-58. Dr Marcus Bunyan, ’Review McLean Edwards: Songs from the Ghost Ship at Karen Woodbury Gallery, Melbourne’, Art Blart, June 2009. Daniel Smith, ‘The Sitting’, Harper’s Bazar Australia, April 2006, p 34-40. Elizabeth Fortescue, ‘Right on Topsy of his World’, Daily Telegraph, 21 April 2006. Sebastian Smee, ‘Old masterful vision with stories full of colour’, The Australian, 11 April 2006. Megan Doherty, Canberra Times, 29 April 2006. The Art Life ‘The Darkness’ April 2006. The Art Life ‘Eyes are Hard to Paint’ March 2006. John McDonald, ‘Year of the very Big Head’, Sydney Morning Herald, 17 March 2006 p 14. Sophie Tedmanson, ‘Artist’s mate puts Cate in the Archibald picture’, The Australian, 8 March 2006. ‘Archies Pack ‘em in’, Weekend Australian, 11 - 12 March 2006 p 31. Clay Lucas, ‘Studio Chaos suits Edwards’ Style’, The Age, 30 May 2005, Metro section p 5. ‘McLean Edwards – Paintings 2002-2005’, Martin Browne Fine Art, 2005 c ISSN 1323-7675, Design Strategy, Sydney, Australia. John Kavanagh, ‘Blue-Chip Contemporary’, BRW, 18 -24 December 2003. Sony Barron, ‘Flaws Fail to deter Queues’, Canberra Times, 16 January 2002. Ron Cerabona, ‘A Challenging Display’, Canberra Times, 10 January 2002.
McLEAN EDWARDS REBECCA 29 April – 23 May 2020