Delaney Davidson | 101 Paintings
Lyttelton’s harbour after dark, glimpses of James Bond, spy thrillers, ’70s car films and westerns all find their way into 101 Paintings. Dark, colourful and playful, the works move between the landscape Delaney Davidson sees around him and the late-night worlds he sees on screen.
The exhibition marks Davidson’s return to painting after nearly 20 years. He worked in print and paint in Melbourne in the late 1990s, before music took over and touring made it difficult to keep a studio. Working with water-based oils, a palette knife and glazes, he draws on approaches to landscape found in the work of Utrillo, Buster Black and Whistler. The exhibition also marks a shift from the drawing that featured in his previous two shows.
“Catching a moment here and there over the years was always a frustrating way to reconnect with the medium,” says Davidson. Time carved out during a spell of insomnia and anxiety gave him a way back into painting. “The momentum towards this show built from there.”
101 Paintings is showing at Donald Street Gallery in Lyttelton, behind the British Hotel. The exhibition opened at 5.30 pm on Tuesday 3 November and runs until 15 November, with gallery hours Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm.
