**
Apologies for late publication**
(“A temporary lapse of reason” by Tony
Starkey)
Tony
Starkey’s retrospective exhibition, The Long
and Winding Road, was recently presented at the Durban University of
Technology Art Gallery.
This is
the artist’s statement:
“This
selected body of work illustrates the three central preoccupations of my
artistic development; architecture, social commentary and
representation/abstraction through painting, hand-papermaking and mixed media.
The presence of the human figure is implied by its absence and manifests itself
in the form of the viewer.
The
central concern in the use of architecture as a subject matter has been the
depiction of structures as both a reflection of change and of individual
lives. This was addressed through the
recording and interpretation of prominent and commonplace buildings on sites
such as Block AK (Greyville), the Station Workshops, the City Hall precinct,
the Point, Clairwood and the Berea.
The use
of social commentary is associated with an ongoing preoccupation with history,
especially South African history, as a site of investigation. The use of found
objects with inherent personal histories, presented in glazed drawers, alludes
to the categorization of artefacts as historical records.
The
preoccupation with representation/abstraction is evident to varying degrees
throughout the body of work in a number of approaches ranging from
photorealism, through naturalism and partial abstraction, to full abstraction.
One of
the most rewarding periods of my art practice over the years has been the
collaboration with my colleague John Roome, in the production and manipulation
of handmade paper. This period of collaboration resulted in a conceptual and
creative dialogue that resulted in a unique body of work.
The
colleagues I have worked with and the students I have taught, during my tenure
as a staff member in the department of Fine Art and Jewellery Design at Durban
University of Technology, have provided me with a rich and stimulating context
for my creative endeavours. I am indebted to them all.”
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