Press |  1980s  | 

‘Canvassing the abstract voters’ by Andrew Graham-Dixon

When Leonardo da Vinci ran out of ideas he used to go out and look at ‘a wall covered with dirt, or the odd appearance of some streaked stones.’ Staring at these skeins of abstract form, he found ‘landscapes, battles, clouds, uncommon attitudes, humorous faces, draperies. Out of this confused …

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Press |  1980s  | 

‘On Colour’: John Hoyland and Sally-Ann Schilling in conversation

John Hoyland: Well I think it’s the only thing that does – in a way that music does. Colour strikes you – I noticed it particularly in a ballet I’ve just done, where the music comes on and the colour comes on and you can feel the audience’s response. Sally-Ann …

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Press |  1980s  | 

‘John Hoyland: New Paintings’ by John McEwen

John Hoyland is king of the castle as far as freely handled abstract painting goes in this country, and reminds us of the fact with his latest exhibition. No one here mixes colour and technique with more style or assurance. Hoyland holds unapologetically to the mainstream, the international current of …

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Press |  1980s  | 

‘Hangovers and Gunfighters’ by Sandra McGrath

As soon as they walked into the Macquarie Gallery, I thought of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Gunfighters and internationally known English artists do not usually seem to have much in common. Looks, of course, had a lot to do with it. Patrick Caulfield, prematurely silver-haired, was immaculately dressed …

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Press |  1980s  | 

‘Eight from England: Images that make themselves’

John Hoyland muses on the state of painting. Making art is an experience combining intellect, skill and intuition: it’s an experiment with what the artist imagines might be possible. The artist takes a chance and, if successful, anticipates what is possible experience. He does this by inventing new relationships which …

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