"Portrait of Geri"

"Portrait of Geri"

Kerry Wright, 1987

Oils & Conte Pastels on Canvas 

90cm x 60cm (3ft x 2ft)

In the mid-1980s, I felt the urge to return to my roots in traditional studio portrait painting. However, because I was just then emerging from an intense abstract expressionist period, I was reluctant to return entirely to the strict discipline of the regimental studio portrait. Exploring new and exciting ways in which to do so was my challenge. I had always loved the sublime portraits of the tragic Italian painter, Amedeo Modigliani, so I guess it's not entirely surprising that my new technique was somewhat reminiscent of his contemplative, idiosyncratically introspective style. It must have been a subliminal influence, however, because I was most certainly not aware of it when I painted this portrait. It wasn't until when the painting was exhibited, shortly following its completion, that I started to get comments about how Modiglianiesque it was. Not that I would ever put myself in a class with such a towering genius as Modigliani, but certainly his influence is present here. The other blatantly obvious influence is that of stained glass. Institutionalised religion's insidious presence was never far from my psyche in those days.

"Self Portrait in C Minor"

"Self Portrait in C Minor"

Kerry Wright, 1984

Oils on Canvas

90cm x 60cm (3ft x 2ft)

In the 1980s, when I was in my 30s, I completed several  paintings incorporating an abstract style characterized by heavily applied impasto paint, utilizing a palette of strident primary colours. It was a style of painting with which one could enjoy oneself. In fact, I'd not had so much fun with my painting since the days of finger-painting in kindergarten. Certainly, it provided a welcome respite from the meticulously rendered portraits I had primarily been painting up until that time. The abstracts of the 1980s came as a liberating breath of fresh air for me. I was enamored of the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff at the time, particularly his Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18. The "C minor" of this self portrait's title is dedicated to that exquisite piece of music. I hope I have captured something of the full richness of its deeply lachrymose intensity in my painting. I'll leave you to decide how that equates to myself, as I was, at that time in my life.