— SevrEW 0 ROBERT. McPIKE'S

by Pieter Kos

MODERN BAROQUE

EXHIBITION AT THE HELEN PITT GALLERY - FEBRUARY 15 = 27

Arising out of the abstract expressionist mode, Rcbert
McPike's strongest canvases (Ten Miles High and Ridge Point Blue)
present a dramatic visual diplay which resonates with feeling
and celebration. The works are all handled with an expressive
confidence in the manrer of a virtuoso performance: forceful and
free, but not arbitrary.

The painting techniques draw from a large bag of methods,
using stained and opaque acrylic on primed and unprimed surfaces;
paint is drawn, flung, blobbed, run, and broomed (reminding one
of Gordon Rayner's work). The show, described by Robert as a
"painter's show for painters'' is a collection of work where a
number of themes are played out, such as landscape or erotic
allusion, and more formal abstraction. The sense of paint is
strong as it is used materially within the context of the picture
plane and within the limitations of flatness.

The works bear down on the aesthetic sensibility. The strug-
gle happening through paint on surface is alive with drama and
evokes sentiment from the viewer in a powerful manner, from the
sublime of Soo Oos Blue to the earth rising freedom of Ten Miles
High, to the conundrum of Ridge Point Blue, which unfortunately
does slip into mud in places. But brought to mind is the ditt:
culty which faces expressionist painting: the problem of denoting
rather than embodying emotions. The feeling of this new luxury
painting (often with gold paint) may be betrayed by the virtuosity
of the painting itself.

At Rest Beyond is a remarkable erotic work which manages to
reconcilliate a blatant image with a warm and sensual handling.
The boldness of the drawing is offset by a soft stain. An ieee a
picture is Valley of Her Desire with its potpourri of sexual sig-
nifiers (pubic hair, thighs, garter belts). Unfortunately the
placing of these on a dull ochre ground do not make for a totally
integrated composition, and it seems the drawing handles the problem
better. | Want To Know Her Name _: also has a number of signifiers
but make a jumbled picture.

The oi] on paper works are pleasing if simple experiments in
visual thrusts, contrasts and harmonies. A confidence and power