Notes
Rooftops, backyards, urban scapes

Rooftops, backyards, urban scapes

As a supplement to the article in today's Press GO section, highlighting the recent purchase of Ivy Fife's Untitled (Towards Worcester Street from St. Elmo Courts), here's a modest selection of paintings of rooftops, backyards and urban scapes from the collection...

Article
Yvonne Todd: The Wall of Man

Yvonne Todd: The Wall of Man

A succinct ad placed in the classifieds of the North Shore Times in March 2009 attracted some forty applicants. Respondents were shown a photographic portrait of an unnamed executive, and directed towards ervon.com – artist Yvonne Todd's website – to decide whether or not they wanted to be photographed. Some still did. The unfolding story might not have been exactly what they'd expected, but all who agreed understood it would be something different. Next came the eliminations: sixteen men were chosen to be photographed; twelve made it to the final cut. The resulting images were printed at varying sizes and titled: International Sales Director, Retired Urologist, Family Doctor, Senior Executive, Hospital Director, Company Founder, Sales Executive, Chief Financial Officer, Image Consultant, Independent Manufacturing Director, Publisher, Agrichemical Spokesman. This is The Wall of Man.

Article
Success to Excess

Success to Excess

Several early British portraits in the Gallery’s collection depict sitters whose identity is as yet unknown; pleasingly, their number has been reduced in recent years. One painting in particular—previously titled Portrait of a Gentleman in a Blue Jacket and Embroidered Waistcoat — is greatly enriched by having the story of a specific human life attached to it. It is also unexpectedly linked to other portraits in the collection.

Exhibition

Yvonne Todd: The Wall of Man

A collection of apparently straightforward corporate photographic portraits, the type usually seen in company boardrooms or annual reports, becomes increasingly puzzling in its intent.

Exhibition

Bryce Galloway: Untitled (Hair Transposal Video)

The viewer becomes disbelieving voyeur as the artist determinedly, unselfconsciously and almost convincingly disguises his own male pattern baldness with freshly-cropped chest hair.

Notes
Ruth Lowinsky by Eric Gill

Ruth Lowinsky by Eric Gill

This article first appeared as 'An oblique profile' in The Press on 12 July 2013.

Notes
Portrait of the poet Edmund Waller after Cornelius Johnson

Portrait of the poet Edmund Waller after Cornelius Johnson

This article first appeared as 'A poet in our midst' in The Press on 31 May 2013.

Notes
Cathedral Square, Christchurch by John Mills Thomasson

Cathedral Square, Christchurch by John Mills Thomasson

This article first appeared in The Press on 25 January 2013.

 

Notes
The Queen's visit by Ivy Fife

The Queen's visit by Ivy Fife

This article first appeared as 'Hello and goodbye' in The Press on 5 October 2012.

Notes
Untitled by Meindert Hobbema

Untitled by Meindert Hobbema

This article first appeared as 'Dutch treat' in The Press on 12 April 2013.

Load more