Australian Galleries, at stand F33, is showcasing Geoffrey Riccardo’s ‘elephant’ works.
“The elephant had been a great device or armature for me to explore formal concerns. Changing from two-dimensional to three-dimensional and back and around in an almost cyclical fashion. I use it to experiment with, see what happens when I make it bigger, give it two heads, paint it or patinate it, etch the surface, extend the trunk to become something else” – Geoffrey Ricardo, June 2012
Over two decades the elephant has become an engaging visual device for Ricardo, providing a continual focus for the development of his richly dark and potent imagery. This series of work depicts the elephant form supported by human figures draped in pantomime costume. Ricardo encourages the absurd, extending the bizarre by showing the elephant helplessly swathed in patterned lightweight cloth, thereby creating a narrative garnered with pathos.
Ricardo enjoys references to the elephant in the common language, exploring themes such as: the elephant in the room, under the rug, the white elephant, elephants don’t forget, and elephant man.
These works are a must see!
