(1938 – 2015)

Colin Lanceley is a significant figure in the history of Australian modernism. Born in New Zealand, Lanceley immigrated to Sydney at an early age, where he remained for much of his working life. Lanceley’s work is defined by his unique artistic perspective, which challenged the boundaries between painting and sculpture. Across his prolific career, his work remains hopeful, guided by the urge to capture a sense of playfulness and whimsy. 

Lanceley was formally trained at the East Sydney Technical College in the 1950s, an institution now known as the National Art School. It was here that Lanceley met fellow artists Mike Brown and Ross Crowthall, with whom he founded the Annandale Imitation Realists group in 1961. This collective was identified by an anarchic approach to assemblage and collage, using objects typically considered as waste to construct their works. While short-lived, this movement was considered by many as Australia’s response to Dadaism. 

Across his practice, Lanceley often returned to recurring motifs of organic, non-figurative forms. His vivid colour palettes and use of abstraction recall the works of Matisse and Miro—the latter with whom he shared a personal friendship.

Lanceley has remained highly regarded both within his lifetime and since his passing, being the recipient of an Order of Australia in 1990 and recognised by a large retrospective at the National Art School in 2022. Significantly, his work is represented in the collections of several notable institutions, such as Tate Modern, The British Museum and the National Gallery of Australia. 

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