Rick Amor

(born 1948)

The Absence of Philosophy, 2001-02

Footnotes

PROVENANCE
Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
Private collection, Melbourne
Menzies, Sydney, 23 June 2016, lot 44
Private collection, Melbourne.

EXHIBITED
Rick Amor: Standing in the Shadows, McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery, Victoria, 8 May - 26 June 2005, cat. 61
Blue Chip XVII: The Collectors' Exhibition, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne, 28 April - 30 May 2015, cat. 21 (illus.)

LITERATURE
Robert Lindsay, Rick Amor: Standing in the Shadows, McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery, Victoria, 2005, cat. 61, p. 72 (illus.), 123


"I've always thought that behind the façade of buildings all sorts of mysterious things go on. I suppose it's from my childhood and reading Kafka. I like to suggest that behind prosaic realities something else is lurking" Rick Amor, 1994


'Describing the appearance of Rick Amor's paintings is not difficult, for their carefully organised compositions, elegant drawing and subtle colours produce a clear statement of the artist's technical skill. But finding their meaning and the artist's intent is a more problematic undertaking. There is a surreal quality about many of the works, with sudden changes of scale, odd relationships of subject matter and dramatic light. Amor's early and ongoing interest in de Chirico would suggest a strong influence of surrealism, especially given his very wide reading and interest in the art of the past. But his works are grounded in reality and depict places of the artist's own experience. He describes his paintings as the 'memories of the past, like dreams not clearly remembered but still full of truth and reality... It could be said that the depiction of memory and dreams is the essence of surrealism – the subconscious is bringing forth the content, whether or not that is the artist's expressed intention. But Amor's intentions are essentially pictorial, to create images which capture and maintain the interest of the viewer. His primary goal is to make pictures which will continue to intrigue as long as people care to look at them... Amor's composition are both cinematic and theatrical; artificial, created worlds into which we are invited, never quite knowing what it is we are about to share.'

The Absence of Philosophy is a powerful and haunting image, quintessential to the artist's oeuvre. Amor masterly achieves the surreal, positioning the viewer outside a vast edifice of overarching architectural structures based upon the old Public Library. With his subtle use of line and form the eye is drawn to the upper torso of an anatomical skeleton facing away from the viewer, evoking a sense of mystery of what lies within.

'The role of the artist as the observer, the outsider looking in, is a strong element in Rick Amor's painting and is often noted by writers on his work. His paintings might depict empty, abandoned places, but the human element is never totally absent. It might be his own reflection, dimly seen in a museum showcase or an abandoned shop window, or a solitary figure exiting 'stage left' in a dramatic 'stage-set' landscape. The artist's presence is constantly reinforced; a reminder that these are works crafted and carefully planned.2

Alex Clark

1. Gavin Fry, Rick Amor, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 2008, p.99
2. Ibid. p.104