Reviews (1)

An Inspirational Deed by an Inspirational Artist
This book Arthur Boyd At Bundanon sent me off on a wonderful journey of discovery. Although I had been aware of and admired the art of Arthur Boyd, the celebrated Australian artist, I did not have much idea of him as a person. This book by Janet Mckenzie, is very well researched, and is one of those books which stand up to several revisitings, over several years. The story it reveals, of a truly extraordinary man, an artist with an amazing insight into the modern world, and a passionate love of his homeland, Australia, is skilfully told. Arthur Boyd towards the end of his life decided to gift his most most beloved property, home and studio, named Bundanon, to the Australian people. The purpose he had in mind was to provide an artist's haven. This beautiful place in Australia, beside the Shoalhaven River, has been a huge source of inspiration not only to Arthur Boyd, but also to many other noted Australian artists. As well as the insight into the creative mind and soul of Arthur Boyd that the text of this book so sensitively and respectfully gives, there are a number of very wonderful reproductions of many of Arthur Boyd's paintings. These are well chosen and placed, and not surprisingly comprise the heart of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Arthur Boyd and Drawing-life
This wonderful book with an introduction by Laurie Thomas, reproduces the enormous range of of graphic expressions that Boyd created in his life time. I was recently visiting his artists camp at Bundanon on the south coast of New South Wales, and the book was there and I focused on it as an alternative to playing Polly Body's grand piano, I suppose with the spirit of Merrick and David Boyd in mind.

So to the immediate nature of his art. One of the things that is so evident in a book like this, is the image making facility in Boyd that seems always so liquid. This book ingeniously reproduces the drawings in all the various mediums on nonreflective paper in a folio format, very handsomely designed and uncluttered. The drawback in such entreprises in many ways is the inclusiveness of the catalogue project.This book does have to manage recording the ALL OF approach, and that halfway through the collection the editor has decided to reproduce the works as thumbnail illustrations. This apsect of the book is sometimes limiting.

Looking at the early self portraits of the artist as a young man, with those serious heavy looking back looks of self-portraits, I am reminded of an amazing work he etched of his friend Max Nicholson years later.In those sort of images where the brooding smudged semi-darkness expresses the atmosphere of a personality, I am intrigued as to the meanings of this drama. In such an intimate stage as these drawing provides, the engagement can be tender and this is so with this so with the representations of his family and inner circle of friends. The graphite drawings recording domestication and working spaces are almost cloistraphobic, which says somethings of the imagined drama he was experimenting towards in the paintings. In these early works of family, and a series of pen&ink drawings of urban menace one locates many of the themes and icons that litter his ongoing expansive painting project.

Probably the most significant record which exists in this book are the preliminary drawings for the Aboriginal and the Bride series which I predict will eventually become landmarks in Modern Australian post-colonial art.

Boyd is a natural narrative artist, and in this volume there are works which are coupled with the poetry of Peter Porter another Australian who has been in England for many years. In "Lady and the Unicorn" and "Jonah" and "Narcissus" and "Mars", the drawings in various ways outline Boyd's enduring narrative strategies. Ruark Lewis, Sydney 17.9.2000 ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Australian Studies, published by University of Queensland Press on June 1, 1999. The length of the article is 5810 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Irresistible journeys and imaginings: Boyd's Bride Series revisited.(the car)
Author: Anna Haebich
Publication: Journal of Australian Studies (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 1999
Publisher: University of Queensland Press
Issue: 61Page: 117(11)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Meanjin, published by Meanjin Company Ltd. on September 1, 2002. The length of the article is 3444 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Many mansions: art historian Andrew Montana considers the Boyd dynasty and its houses as national symbols in the light of Brenda Niall's new biography of the family.(Critical Essay)
Author: Andrew Montana
Publication: Meanjin (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2002
Publisher: Meanjin Company Ltd.
Volume: 61Issue: 3Page: 33(9)

Article Type: Critical Essay

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more