Angus Walker
ABOUT ANGUS WALKER
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Angus Walker is an Auckland artist with a very edgy style that he has developed over many years. One thing that becomes apparent when talking with him - he knows art! Very well. He is so involved in it, interested in it and understands it. Talking to him you get an entirely different perspective - not just on his art, but on art in general. His thoughts and ideas make you question and consider your own perspective and that is so refreshing.
Angus talked me through his artistic journey over a beer, explaining how he fought for his artistic direction from an early age when his art was not encouraged by his art teacher in school. He was told 'not to bother' with Bursary art, that his work was 'too tight' and it would be a waste of time. So he didn't. what he did do was continue painting, and selling his paintings. He enjoyed what he was doing and would not be dissuaded. “It was something I could do by myself – it’s a solitary thing for me, something I enjoy and it was a buzz when someone wanted to buy a piece”. One ‘someone’ was Sir Peter Jackson. Angus saw a photo of Sir Peter holding a Lord of the Rings book and decided to paint it. Encouraged by his father to send a photo of it to Sir Peter who was so impressed - he brought it. “It was so random, Dad said to do it, so I did and he brought it. I was rapt, spent 100 bucks on CDs!” |
When it came to consider University, he was encouraged not to pursue art – but was so passionate about it that he fought for and gained a position at Elam Art School. “Approximately 400 applied, 120 got in. I remember getting the letter and going crazy, running around with the garden hose. Mum and Dad had prepared me not to get in, but I did. I was so happy. Elam saw something in my work, saw something in me and thought I could do it.”
It was at Elam that Angus met Max Gimblett, who was Artist in Residence at the time. He didn’t know who Max was, and so he attended one of Max’s solo exhibitions and was ‘blown away’. Max has been a great influence on Angus and on his work ever since – he has mentored and encouraged him, has his work and has given Angus some of his own. Angus’ friendship with Max remains to this day and Max’s influence is evident in his work.
It was at Elam that Angus met Max Gimblett, who was Artist in Residence at the time. He didn’t know who Max was, and so he attended one of Max’s solo exhibitions and was ‘blown away’. Max has been a great influence on Angus and on his work ever since – he has mentored and encouraged him, has his work and has given Angus some of his own. Angus’ friendship with Max remains to this day and Max’s influence is evident in his work.
Angus explains his work to me – his process: “I start with a core colour, usually black because it is more ‘nothing’ than white. It provides a ‘colour void’, a vacuum. Then I build it. I think of the painting along the same lines as music. The background is the bass – the heavier ‘noise’ is at the back of the piece. The rhythm comes next, layers of colour. People view this as random, but it’s not – it’s considered. The strokes are ‘placed’ not pushed onto the canvas. The dots are the tweeter and the staccato is the finale – the finishing touches. I like to relate it to Jean-Michel Basquiat. Music is art.”
Angus abstract works are vibrant and alluring. Raw and bold pieces that provoke and entice. He enjoys symmetry, but not in the traditional way. He can look back now and say he is pleased he didn’t do Bursary art, as he feels it would have had a negative influence on his work today.
There is brilliance in the way Angus puts colours together – unconventional colours that would not normally work. He is influenced by his time in Japan, by Buddhism and by some of the great NZ artists such as Gimblett, Hotere and McCahon. All of these things are evident in the work that Angus is producing and we are excited to see how this develops as Angus continues to evolve.
Angus abstract works are vibrant and alluring. Raw and bold pieces that provoke and entice. He enjoys symmetry, but not in the traditional way. He can look back now and say he is pleased he didn’t do Bursary art, as he feels it would have had a negative influence on his work today.
There is brilliance in the way Angus puts colours together – unconventional colours that would not normally work. He is influenced by his time in Japan, by Buddhism and by some of the great NZ artists such as Gimblett, Hotere and McCahon. All of these things are evident in the work that Angus is producing and we are excited to see how this develops as Angus continues to evolve.
