![]() |
![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Australian artist Phil Clarke describes himself as a New Realist, while critics have drawn parallels with the enigmatic Surrealism of Dali and Magritte as well as the humorous, tongue-in-cheek influence of Andy Warhol. His paintings are characterised by startling, often amusing juxtapositions of the ordinary and the strange, which seize the viewer's attention and provoke a response.
Clarke’s paintings, like Magritte’s, present a challenge to accepted ways in which we see and think, and he has a good reason for this. Central to all his work is a desire to break through to some element of truth in an age of unprecedented information and misinformation. It may be about power, and its creative use or abuse, or conservation, or philosophy, history or geopolitics. Through his paintings, he seeks to involve the viewer in his concerns.
Phil Clarke was born in 1958 in Sydney and studied art at the National Art School from 1975 to 1978. He then lived in Europe for 10 years, most often in Cadaques, northeast Spain, where he met Salvador Dali, whom he visited and observed at work for three years from 1979 to 1982. Clarke first visited Hong Kong in 1985 and had several one-man shows here before returning to Sydney in 1998. He has also had solo exhibitions in Sydney, Cadaques, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Paris, Barcelona, Los Angeles, and Marseilles.
1958 | Born in Sydney, Australia |
1970 | Final Year Art Prize, Sydney Grammar School |
1971 | Awarded First Prize, Sydney Morning Herald Young Artist Competition |
1972 | Commenced Law Studies, University of NSW |
1973 |
Continued artistic experimentation with emphasis on painting in oil, acrylic, watercolour, gouache and tempera Attended summer school at National Art School, Sydney |
1974 |
Experience as assistant set designer with National Institute of Dramatic Art, University of NSW Member of Sydney Contemporary Art Society |
1975 | Commenced art studies at Alexander Mackie College (National Art School) |
1978 | Awarded First Prize in Macquarie University Art Competition |
1979 |
Travelled throughout Europe. Worked in studios in Cambridge, England, Dublin, Ireland, Avignon, France and Cadaques, Spain. First meeting with Salvador Dali at Dali Museum in Figueras, Spain |
1980 | Occasional visits to, and work as an assistant in, the studio of Salvador Dali |
1981 | On return to Spain continued visits to studio of Salvador Dali |
1983 | Represented, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales |
1985 |
Returned to Europe Attended Eastern Art Seminar, Oxford, England First visited Hong Kong |
1986 | Re-established residence in Spain |
1986-87 | Taught Art and English, Cadaques local secondary school |
1992 |
Returned to Hong Kong Commissioned to paint a series of paintings for the offices of Anderson Man Pacific Pty Ltd, Hong Kong |
1996 |
Commissioned to paint a suite of pictures for Gold Coast Hotel, Hong Kong Design for Ridgway’s American Bar, Wanchai, Hong Kong |
1998 | Returned to Cadaques, Spain |
1999 | Returned to Sydney, established studio at Greenwich, overlooking Lane Cove River |
1977 | First one-man show, Sydney |
1980 | Solo exhibition, Cadaques, Spain |
1983 | Solo exhibition, Sydney |
1987 | Solo exhibition, Cadaques, Spain |
1988 | Solo exhibition, Sydney |
1989 | Solo exhibition, Cadaques, Spain |
1990 |
Solo exhibition, Amsterdam Solo exhibition, Foreign Correspondents Club, Tokyo Solo exhibition, Hong Kong |
1991 | Solo exhibition, Paris |
1993 | Solo exhibition, Foreign Correspondents Club, Hong Kong |
1994 |
Solo exhibition, Barcelona, Spain Solo exhibition, Los Angeles, USA |
1995 |
Solo exhibition, Marseilles, France Solo exhibition, Pacific Club, Tokyo |
1997 |
Solo exhibition, Barcelona, Spain Solo exhibition, Tokyo |
1998 | Solo exhibition, Cadaques, Spain |
2000 | Solo exhibition, Paris |
2001 | Solo exhibition, Amsterdam |
2002 | "Windows of the Sea, Painting and Lithographs by Phil Clarke" solo exhibition, Zee Stone Gallery, Hong Kong |