Bob MESSAGE
Into the Outback
2 - 25 March 2017
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You and your friends are invited to Bob Message’s exhibition of recent landscape paintings titled Into the Outback, which is to be held at Quadrant Gallery, 72 Barkers Road, Hawthorn from March 2 - 25 2017. These works on canvas focus upon diverse and often remote regions of inland Australia including the Kimberley, Lake Eyre, the Flinders Ranges, the North-West Corner of NSW, Far North Queensland and Central Australia. The paintings bear witness to the dramatic evidence of environmental change that has occurred within this ancient continent over millions of years. They depict in simple and fundamental terms the strong complimentary tones, weathered organic shapes and rugged textural surfaces associated with the remote inland. A variety of mediums is employed including acrylic and oil paints, natural and other pigments and found materials to create a very personal emotive response to the unique but threatened beauty and grandeur of this continent. The exhibition builds upon and extends the styles and techniques displayed by the artist in previous solo and group exhibitions as well as publications over a number of years. Bob Message would be delighted if you were able to join him at the opening of the exhibition to be held on Saturday 4 March, 2017 between 2.00pm and 4.00pm at Quadrant Gallery. The exhibition is to be opened by renowned Australian artist, William Ferguson. |
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Bob MESSAGE
Curriculum Vitae
“An emotive response to the awesome beauty of the shapes, textures and tones which have been gouged, scorched and etched by millions of years of climatic evolution”
My objective as a landscape painter over twenty-five years has been to document my response to the visual impact of the ancient landscape. Through travel into remote locations within the outback, I have sought to witness the dramatic evidence of environmental evolution that has occurred within this continent over millions of years. My painting attempts to focus on the mystery of these changes while acknowledging the magnitude of their unique drama and beauty.
My primary interest is in the fundamentals of shape, colour and light which are the essence of this environment: the lyrical simplicity of organic shapes found within heavily eroded ranges and deserts and the vibrancy of colour generated by reflection of brilliant outback light on ancient crystalline and mineralised surfaces. This emphasis is the basis of a personal minimalist approach to the interpretation of mood and atmosphere of the outback.
My painting philosophy and strategy reflect techniques refined in a variety of creative pursuits over many years. In particular they include the primitive art form of raku ceramics where the hand construction, decoration and firing of organic shapes using found clays, pigments and fuels enabled simple expressive works whose textures, shapes and colours were reflective of the areas in which they were created.
I have conducted a number of successful solo exhibitions, participated in invitational exhibitions at leading galleries and contributed to a diverse range of group art shows. My work is held in collections across Australia and in North America and New Zealand.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002: Art Affairs Gallery, Carlton, Victoria
2010: Cotham Gallery 101, Kew, Victoria
2017: Quadrant Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2001, 2002, 2003: Manyung Gallery, Mount Eliza, Victoria
1998 - 2006: Yarra Valley Art Exhibition, Croydon, Victoria
2000 - 2008: Bilyara Gallery, Merimbula, NSW
2009: Lioli Gallery, Camberwell, Victoria
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Annual participation since 1993 in exhibitions including St Kevin’s Art Show, Toorak College Art Show, Box Hill Rotary Art Show, Camberwell Rotary Art Show, Bayswater Rotary Art Show.
PUBLICATIONS
I was feature Artist in the Australian Artist magazine, December 2000 and March 2001. My work was featured in The Age newspaper, September 2001, Antiques and Art in Victoria, August 2002, Art Gallery Guide Australia, September, 2003, Melbourne Weekly, May 2010. I am a feature artist in the book, Selected Contemporary Artists of Australia, Michael Berry, Kunyung, 2003.
