Wangaratta-born painter and graphic artist David Laity began his career as a cartoonist in the 1980s, with his works regularly featured in regional and metropolitan publications.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
This early phase of his career garnered him a curatorial following, resulting in survey exhibitions at the Benalla and Shepparton regional galleries.
Survey exhibitions typically cover a significant portion of the artist’s body of work, often spanning several years or even decades.
David’s use of hessian fabric imbues his work with sensuous textuality, while the build-up of pigments gives his paintings rich saturation and a warm glow.
His highly individual, memorable, and immediately recognisable images have attracted a devoted collectors’ following, and his works have been acquired by numerous public, corporate, and private collections including MONA.
His recent works continue the artist’s ongoing exploration of two parallel themes within his oeuvre: the nude and the environment.
David’s current series features 12 women and is called The Art of Being.
“Artists paint that which they love and admire. I love and admire the natural beauty and splendour of the seductive female form,” David said.
“Such seductive beauty has now been well and truly demeaned by the internet, with its disturbing online misogyny and increasingly degrading deep fake imagery.
“These 12 paintings reveal mysterious memories as shared by two equally mysterious lovers. One lover seen, the other lover always out of picture. Such lovers that have inspired a thousand and one love songs. Such lovers that will inspire a thousand and one more.
“Further to what I’ve created, the calendar format represents time forever passing, not just in relation to our shared intimate moments, but to all living things. Life is short.”
David’s home and studio are located on the outskirts of Benalla. He is represented by the Lennox St Gallery in Richmond and will be holding an exhibition there next year between March 5 and 30.
39°C