Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow- T.S ELIOT
Tony Woods, an Australian artist born in Hobart in 1940, forged a distinguished career marked by a relentless pursuit of emotional integrity and artistic authenticity. His paintings often explore the interplay of light and shadow, symbolising the complexities of the unconscious mind and the spiritual essence of existence. Admired by artists especially, the subtleties and inflections in his work are based on his keen observation, offering glimpses into the depths of the psyche, the nature of perception and invites introspection:
“Tony Woods has always been concerned about ‘emotional integrity’. This has seen him often work against the grain in preference for stripping things down to their essential vocabulary and formal structures. A strong distaste for superficiality explains why he has sought a more reflexive and at times metaphysical approach in his life and work.”
- Dr. Sheridan Palmer
"Woods often has been described as a painter of light, shadow and shade. Inanimate objects — their surfaces and the cast of shadows — became a fascination. No panoramas, no horizon line, but detail expressed poetically while seemingly taking a new approach, connects with his interest in silhouettes, images isolated and perfectly held in space and painted on paper or canvas"
- Doug Hall AM, 2017
A continuous innovator, Tony was constantly on the lookout for new material and had an expanded scope of practice in painting, drawing, collage, sculpture as well as super 8 film. His early neo-pop figurative work from the late 60s attracted serious critical attention. In 1968, Woods ventured abroad, winning the prestigious Harkness Fellowship to study in New York City, working alongside long-time friend and collaborator Brett Whiteley and cementing himself as one of Australia’s most exciting young artists. His contributions were further recognised in 1990 with a major retrospective exhibition held at ACCA (Australian Centre for Contemporary Art). His work has been exhibited extensively in Australia and overseas and is represented in public collections across Australia and internationally.