DEREK O’CONNOR

01 December 2017 - 10 February 2018 @ CCAS: Gorman Arts Centre

Every year Canberra Contemporary Art Space celebrates the career of an artist working in the ACT who has a long history of achievement, and in 2017 its Derek O’Connor. Born in the United Kingdom O’Connor moved to Adelaide in the 1960s and has been settled in Canberra for many years, where he has developed a unique style of dynamic abstract painting. He has exhibited work at CCAS in various exhibitions since SHIT with Vivienne Binns in 2003. In the catalogue essay for Horizontal at Karen Woodbury Gallery in Melbourne 2009 Paul Uhlmann noted that O’Connor, “…brings … an intense physical and mental awareness to the rhythms of his own movements, his own body. At such moments time seems to expand – to become infinite.” O’Connor is currently represented by Nancy Sever Gallery, Canberra and Watters Gallery in Sydney. His work is held in major public galleries, including the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; and the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery.

A review by Canberra Times Art Critic Peter Haynes can be seen here.

Image: Derek O'Connor Discharge 2017, oil on book covers, 116cm x 148cm