Paul Ryan knows how to move paint around. He can make a surface glossy or sculptural; as inviting as a lolly shop or scary as an Ozploitation horror movie. Sometimes both at once.
Ryan’s skill with paint, and his interest in art historical subjects, can mislead the unsuspecting viewer. We see a recognisable landscape, familiar figures, and feel that we know where we are. It can take a moment or two to realise that the man who stands boldly covering half the canvas has no head, or that the woman in the frothy pink and white Scarlet O’Hara dress seems to hover somehow, strangely flat, out of place in the scene that she obscures.
The effect of the scale and placement of these figures is intentionally unsettling. There is the pure pleasure in painting dress uniforms and extravagant crinolines, but the visual appeal of the figures and the landscape they occupy won't sit easily with the attentive viewer. Ryan makes the painterly equivalent of a double exposure, laying one image on top of another.
The more traditional point of view taken by a landscape painter is that of the landowner, looking out at a prospect of parklands, fields and forests. In Ryan’s paintings, this position of surveying the landscape belongs to the figure in the painting. He stands above us, his height emphasised by the gleaming verticals of white calves and thighs. The viewer is positioned, Lilliputian, in the foreground of the painting itself.
Paul Ryan’s eye and hand make utterly contemporary paintings, images that can only be made by someone with a fluency in the contemporary visual languages of film and digital media. We know that the figures in these images are visitors from the past, but they come to us, not from real events, but from other images of and from history. In the diptych ‘Cook and Hounds’, two versions of the subject are placed side by side, not-quite mirroring one another. Both are in blue and white and gold, both have an arm outstretched. Ryan gives us two versions of James Cook as he was painted in ‘Landing of Captain Cook at Botany Bay 1770’ by E. Phillips Fox. The pose is probably uncharacteristic of the real James Cook. In portraits and in contemporary accounts of his character he was described as a practical and down to earth man, not someone taken to waving empty arms in dramatic gestures. But Paul Ryan isn’t painting history, he’s painting the history of art.
One version of Ryan’s Cook looks forbidding, his face shadowed with the same grey as the ominous clouds in the sky behind him. The other looks youthful, nervous, his pink and white face framed by two buttery coils of hair. Ryan has placed two versions of the same painting side by side, in a visual reference to techniques of montage used in film, or even the invitation to ‘swipe left’ to see another image in an Instagram post. The two versions of Cook seem to stand guard, rather than survey. Stop, they seem to say, as though Cook has had second thoughts and decided to protect the land from what will come after this moment of arrival.
We keep trying to see the vistas Ryan offers us, but even in those paintings that look at first like straightforward views of distant headlands there's that abrupt, flattened foreground, the sense that there's a sheer drop between us and the sight we are here to see. Watch your step.
When Paul Ryan paints the landscape, it’s not the scenery so much as the forgotten histories of his local area that he seeks to explore. Never straying far from his home base in Thirroul, a suburb of Wollongong noted for post-colonial industries including whaling, logging, and mining, Ryan repeatedly finds himself searching for the footprints of the people who came before him. Multi-layered contemplations on the impact of invasion and colonisation, his work examines the damage to natural and social worlds that once existed in the dark, hilly bushland of the NSW South Coast, and the alternative realities that might otherwise have been.
A keen surfer, Ryan is afforded a dramatic panoramic view of the Illawarra Escarpment and its coastal plain from the ocean that ignites imagination and provokes reflection on the absurdity of colonialism - the clash of cultures that occurred, the pompous naivety of Europeans entering the landscape in long woollen coats and oversized hats, and the bewilderment traditional land owners must have felt when they first encountered such a sight. Manifesting the ghosts of the past, Ryan brings them to life with strong visuals and a wry sense of humour, much like a novelist might construct a work of creative non-fiction. Though very little of the region’s beginnings are on public record, Ryan possesses a compulsive fascination with colonisation and the ongoing ramifications of white settlement, and uses this knowledge to recreate lost history. Adopted in New Zealand at birth and brought to Australia as a young child, Ryan can empathise with what it means to be both powerless to involuntary displacement, and an outsider in a new land.
This search for hidden memories within the northern Illawarra’s bush might also provide the perfect analogy for how Ryan tackles the other aspect of his practice, that of portraiture. Though his landscapes have been acclaimed within the Australian art scene for almost three decades, it is his singular way of depicting the human face that has most recently garnered attention. A continuation of his Australian historical theme, Ryan’s approach to portraiture is much the same as that of his landscapes – that the overall view is a blank canvas upon which he can envisage endless alternatives. In the same way he fixates on one particular environment, so too does he limit his range of sitters to paint only those with whom he is personally familiar and whose features are so well known to him as to no longer be a distraction. Pushing beyond external appearances, he eschews painting an obvious likeness in order to discover underlying characters and personality traits; a process that turns his small band of recognisable friends into almost unidentifiable grotesques of themselves, their features manipulated to suit new roles in his grand narrative.
Born in New Zealand in 1964, Paul Ryan moved to Australia with his parents in 1973. Exhibiting his work since 1988, he won the 2015 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize at Lismore Regional Gallery for his portrait of Noah Taylor, and is a previous winner of multiple national painting prizes. In 2010, he was the winner of the Paddington Art Prize for his work 'Not a sound out of the hills, no more than smoke.' His winning of the 2010 Paddington Art Prize preceded his selection as a Finalist in the Archibald Prize. Furthermore, Paul Ryan is a thirteen-time finalist in the Archibald Prize, he has received manifold highly respected award nominations throughout his career including the Fleurieu Landscape Prize, the Mosman Art Prize, the Doug Moran National Portraiture Prize, the Blake Prize, and the Wynne and Sulman Prizes. His work is held in both public and private collection throughout Australia and internationally.
We are delighted to share that Paul Ryan is a finalist in the 2024 Paddington Art Prize with his work ‘Landscape. Unidentified floating object’.
‘The indigenous people of the Illawarra when they first saw the tall ships of the British floating past thought it was their ancestors’ ghosts returning.’
The Paddington Art Prize is a $30,000 National acquisitive prize, awarded annually for a painting inspired by the Australian landscape. The exhibition of finalists will be held at the Art Leven Gallery from 10 - 20 October 2024.
IMAGE:
‘Landscape. Unidentified floating object’ 2024 oil on linen 123 x 122 cm
Congratulations to our artist Paul Ryan who is a finalists in this year's Mosman Art Prize for his work 'The King'. Exhibition open 23 September in Mosman, Sydney.
On Sunday the 30th of July, PAUL RYAN featured in the ABC Art Works episode focusing on album cover art. Hosted by Namila Benson, this episode of ABC Art Works allows Paul to tell us his story as an Australian painter and about his collaborations with American musician Bill Callahan.
Even though they've never met, Paul Ryan and Bill Callahan share a mutually beneficial friendship. Paul has painted several of Bill's album covers and Bill's music has inspired Paul's paintings.
Paul shows us his process and eclectic studio, personifying his practice and shining light on his emotive connection to the landscape so often seen in his pieces.
You can watch Paul Ryan's feature on the ABC iView website HERE
Congratulations to Christopher Zanko and Paul Ryan who are finalists with a collaborative work in the 2022 Sulman Art Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The Sulman Prize is awarded for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project by an Australian artist.
Christopher Zanko and Paul Ryan's work is set against the backdrop of Wollongong in NSW. This painting is concerned with the vulnerability of the changing demographics of an area once defined by coal mining, steelmaking and allied industries.
David Roach, co-curator of the Clifton Contemporary Art Fair, talked to one of the high-profile participating artists, Paul Ryan.
Paul Ryan’s striking, often provocative paintings are sort by collectors both in Australia and internationally. Many feature the Northern Illawarra coast and escarpment as seen from the ocean.
Paul Ryan is a finalist in Newcastle Art Gallery's Kilgour Art Prize 2021.
The Kilgour Prize is Newcastle's annual art prize for figurative and portrait painting. It awards $50,000 for the most outstanding work of art and a People’s Choice of $5000 to the painting voted most popular by the general public. Each year the Gallery receives hundreds of applications from across Australia.
'Three Imaginary Boys' 2021 oil on linen 138 x 153 cm
N\H artist Paul Ryan is a finalist in Australia's most anticipated art prize, the 2020 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman. The exhibition is on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales until January 10th 2021.
Paul Ryan's painting "Three Imaginary Boys" is the artist's sixth finalist selection in the Sulman Prize. He is a 13-time Archibald finalist and five-time Wynne Prize finalist. Paul has won the Paddington Art Prize (2007 & 2010), Geelong Contemporary Art Prize (2012) and has been a finalist numerous times in the Mosman Prize, Moran Prize, Fishers Ghost, Kilgour, Tattersals and other major awards.
'Three Imaginary Boys' 2020 oil on linen 138 x 153 cm
Established in 1947, the Mosman Art Prize is Australia's oldest and most prestigious local government art award. It was founded by the artist, architect and arts advocate, Alderman Allan Gamble. In it's seventieth year, the Mosman Art Prize has developed in stature to become Australia’s most prestigious municipally funded art prize with a national profile. It regularly attracts over 900 entries annually and currently offers over $60,000 in prizes.
The 2020 Mosman Art Prize was judged by Alexie Glass-Kantor, Executive Director of Artspace, Sydney.
Founded by Doug & Greta Moran and family in 1988, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize is an annual Australian portrait prize supporting Australian artists. The prize has encouraged both excellence and creativity in contemporary Australian portraiture by asking artists to interpret the look and personality of a chosen sitter, either unknown or well known. With a first prize of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) it is Australia’s richest art prize.
Paul Ryan is a finalist in this year's Mosman Art Prize with her work 'Yeah The Boys' 2018.
Established in 1947, the Mosman Art Prize is Australia's oldest and most prestigious local government art award. It was founded by the artist, architect and arts advocate, Alderman Allan Gamble, at a time when only a small handful of art prizes were in existence in Australia and the community had very little support and few opportunities to exhibit their work.
As an acquisitive art award for painting, the winning artworks collected since 1947 form a splendid collection of modern and contemporary Australian art, reflecting all the developments in Australian art practice since 1947.
Paul Ryan was awarded Highly Commended in the Winner Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales with his work 'Kembla, Mount Kembla". Ryan says:
In 1922, DH Lawrence and his wife Frieda came to Thirroul, about an hour south of Sydney, by train. It was here that he wrote the novel Kangaroo, in which he described ‘the town that slid down at the bush-covered foot of the dark tor’. I have lived beneath this dark tor for most of my life. It is omnipresent, it shields us and acts as a gilded cage. In summer, spring and early morning, it captures the sun and glows. But in winter, it stands against the western sky as a dark fortress, blocking our escape and most of the afternoon sun. This a painting of a deep love of place. Paul Ryan, 2018
Paul Ryan features in an ABC podcast on Books and Arts.
In her introduction Sarah Kanowski says:
'Paul Ryan lives and surfs on the south coast of New South Wales, and the beautiful landscape of the Illawarra features in many of his paintings.
He's also an accomplished portraitist (and many time Archibald Prize finalist) and has an abiding interest in depicting figures from colonial Australia.
Paul Ryan listens to music while he paints and has collaborated with American musician Bill Callahan.'
Paul discusses the methodologies of his practice and the prominent themes in his work surrounding colonial Australia.
Paul Ryan is a finalist in this years Mosman Art Prize.
Established in 1947, the Mosman Art Prize is Australia's oldest and most prestigious local government art award. It was founded by the artist, architect and arts advocate, Alderman Allan Gamble. In it's seventieth year, the Mosman Art Prize has developed in stature to become Australia’s most prestigious municipally funded art prize with a national profile. It regularly attracts over 900 entries annually and currently offers over $60,000 in prizes.
The prize will be judged by Kristen Paisley, Deputy Director of the National Gallery of Australia.
The Mosman Art Prize exhibition will be open to the public for viewing from Saturday 23 September until Sunday 29 October 2017. Details here.
Paul Ryan is a finalist in Newcastle Art Gallery's Kilgour Art Prize 2017.
The Kilgour Prize is Newcastle's annual art prize for figurative and portrait painting. It awards $50,000 for the most outstanding work of art and a People’s Choice of $5000 to the painting voted most popular by the general public. Each year the Gallery receives hundreds of applications from across Australia.
The Kilgour Prize will be on display 5 August - 15 October 2017. For further information, please click here.
The Sunshine Coast Art Prize is a national contemporary acquisitive award presented by Sunshine Coast Council. The Award is open to any artist who is an Australian resident, working in a 2D medium.
Forty finalists have been selected for an exhibition at the Caloundra Regional Gallery and the winning work will be added to the Sunshine Coast Art Collection.
Angela Goddard is the judge for the Sunshine Coast Prize 2017. Angela is the Director of Griffith Artworks, responsible for the Griffith University Art Collection and the Griffith University Art Gallery, Brisbane. Angela was previously the Curator of Australian Art at the Queensland Art Gallery I Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA). Winners announced 31 August.
Image: Paul RyanThe Sea Was Angry That Day My Fiends 2017 oil on linen 123 x 123cm
Influential French blog site La Blogotheque recently featured a profile on Paul Ryan in his Thiroull studio. Paul has been painting American musician Bill Callahan’s album covers for the last five years. He talks about the role music plays in his art in the second episode of the blog's interview series “Music is my radar”:
Paul Ryan was recently interviewed by Steve Lopes for Artist Profile magazine:
'Paul Ryan’s gutsy paintings pack a punch that has won him many fans over the years. Ryan is not afraid to experiment with subject matter. A 13-time Archibald finalist, he regularly collaborates with other artists and also musicians, and often chooses to deal with confronting topics. He is happy with the choices he has made in his art career, and the apparent ease of life in his comfortable seaside studio belies the “collateral damage” that painting can bring to a life devoted to art.'
Edwina Corlette Gallery is delighted to announce the representation of Paul Ryan.
Born in Auckland in 1964, Paul Ryan has had regular solo exhibitions since 1988. Based in Thirroul on the New South Wales coast, Ryan's work looks at the Australian landscape and history, in particular as it relates to the area near where he lives.
A finalist in the Archibald Prize 13 times, he has also been a finalist in the Wynne Prize three times and the Sulman Prize four times. He won the 2010 Paddington Art Prize for landscape painting and the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize in 2012.
Paul Ryan's first exhibition at Edwina Corlette Gallery will be in 2017.
