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David Larwill 1956 - Present Day

Style
Figurative Expressionist, Contemporary

Career Status
Mid Career

Biography
David Larwill was born in Ballarat, Victoria in 1956. He was part of the ‘Roar’ movement, a group of art students committed to the concept of minimising contact with the art establishment while forging forward as an artistic force of their time. Of all the Roar artists, Larwill has emerged as one of the most distinctive. His style of populating his paintings with stylized human figures and animals, his use of childlike forms, and the occasional inclusion of slogans, give his work a naive quality which sometimes seems simplistic. However this is misleading, for beneath the veneer of innocence lies a considerable sophistication. Larwill evokes an extraordinary range of feelings, moods and expressions through his frenetic compositions and use of intense colour.

David Larwill experimented with sand as a medium from his own St Kilda seaside environment to fortify the colour pigment and add another dimension to the texture and vibrancy of his work. However his most well known pieces were heavily influenced by the indigenous art of New Guinea and Central Australia. He uses the whole canvas area to the very edges. His figures have the appearance of being hand etched into the built up medium. The overall effect is one of vibrancy and movement. He has had numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and is represented in many public and private collections.

Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
New Parliament House, Canberra
Shepparton Art Gallery
Queensland Art Gallery
New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale
Artbank
Western Mining Corporation Collection
Shell Collection of Contemporary Australian Art
Baillieu Myer
ICI Collection
Orica, Melbourne
Holmes a Court
Sir William Dobell Foundation
Deakin University
Launceston College of Advanced Education
Coventry
Australian Football League
Allen Allen & Hemsley, Sydney

Auction Record
Auction Record
$83,000
Skate Boarders 1988
Oil on Canvas
Deutsche Menzies Sydney 16/06/2004 Lot No. 84

Studies
1956 Born in Ballarat, Victoria
1976 studied at the Prahran College of Advanced education
1980 studied at the Preston Institute of Technology

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