Michael Gibson Gallery, London
Private Collection, Ontario
Contemporary artist Tony Urquhart gained early recognition as a pioneer of Canadian abstract painting in the late 1950s. During the following decade the artist pursued an independent path of mixed media work rich in symbolism. Urquhart frequently depicts themes of life and death, renewal and decay, stasis and transformation. These dialogues are influenced by his childhood experience of growing up in a family who owned a funeral home, as well as his interest in the art and archeology of prehistoric societies. The arched shape of the support in “Landscape with Self-Portrait” may be referencing the artist’s fascination with the architecture of ancient cathedrals or his curiosity for gravestones and cemeteries. The figure in painting, who represents Urquhart, is looking out into a semi-abstract, mysterious landscape, perhaps contemplating the meaning of life and its ephemeral nature.
