Anne Hall was part of the Heide circle, of which Charles Blackman, Sidney Nolan and Hall’s husband, John Perceval were also members. Like them, she pursued a Figurative Expressionist style, smudging objective and subjective truths. In a way unique to her however, Hall cuts to the nucleus of her subject, laying bare their soul.
In ‘Untitled (Portrait in Shadow)’, Hall paints a woman. The result is disturbing: her eyes are wild and she holds her head, as though teetering on the brink of combustion. Dramatic and absorbing, ‘Untitled (Portrait in Shadow)’ is a study of our shadow selves and while it may not be pretty, the best art rarely is.
Like Joy Hester and Mirka Mora, Hall forged a compelling female voice in an otherwise male dominated space. That her career was at times overshadowed by her marriage is a testament to Modernism’s issues with gender parity. Now, collected by The National Gallery of Australia, the Ian Potter Museum and Geelong Gallery, her absence is being redressed.
For collectors of Modernist Australian art and those searching for a unique insight into the Antipodean movement, Hall is a vital find.
Further reading:
Ever wondered why there are so many heads in Modern Art? Discover the new power of portraiture throughout twentieth century Australian art
here.
Anne Marie HALL (1945 - )
'Untitled (Portrait in Black)'
oil on paper
Image Size: 57 x 45 cm
Dimensions: 57 x 45 cm
Comes with Letter of Provenance
Availability: in stock
Condition:Very good
© The Artist or Assignee
Art and Collectors
