Roberts Gallery, Toronto
Private Collection, Ontario
Ronald York Wilson is well-known for his electric abstract constructions of the 1950s and monumental geometric paintings of the 1960s. A great traveller, York Wilson and his wife, Lela, spent much of their lives embarking on adventures across the globe. The artist was endlessly inspired by his surroundings and encounters abroad, which were a powerful stimulant to his work.
“The Bull Fight” is a complex composition of layers of texture, form, shape and colour. Both the title of the work and the radiant swaths of deep red sweeping across the composition reference the tradition of Spanish- style bullfighting and the waving of the matador’s banderilleros’ cloak. York Wilson’s energetic and rich composition is clearly inspired by his experiences in Spain and is an impassioned representation of the artist’s lifelong commitment to the visual arts.
