Lin Onus, a Yorta Yorta artist of Aboriginal and Scottish descent, represents a singular voice in Australia’s cultural life. Esteemed for his wit, talent and panache, Onus’s work is a negotiation of cultural identity, employing both Aboriginal and Western techniques to unsettle categorisation.

Recognisably by Onus, ‘Garkman’ is a striking original screenprint. It draws the viewer into a seemingly impossible perspectival position – a frog breaks the surface of a creek overlain with the reflection of trees. We simultaneously look from above and within, aware of the creek’s bed, its inhabitants and canopy, recognising that the landscape – and our perspective – is never monolithic nor resolved.

Tranquil, intricate and impeccably composed ‘Garkman’ testifies to an artist whose ability was only matched by his vision. Caught between different worlds, Onus wrote in 1990 that he hoped to be remembered as a “bridge between cultures, technology and ideas”. With representation across public collections and an OBE, it is undoubtable that he has.

This screenprint is a working proof and reveals a moment in which the artist was still experimenting with this image. Because of this, the work exhibits slight misregistration and on the reverse there is evidence of the developmental stages of previous prints. The image itself remains unaffected and in beautiful condition. There is wear around the paper edges, which can be easily concealed with a window mount. This work is a rare opportunity to acquire a print from an iconic Australian artist whose practice was rooted in the serendipity of experimentation.

Lin ONUS (1948 - 1996)
'Garkman' 1991
screenprint on paper
Edition: WP (working proof)
Image Size: 46 x 71 cm
Dimensions: 70 x 101 cm
Signed: Signed Onus and editioned WP in pencil in margin below image
Comes with Letter of Provenance

Condition: Very Good: This screenprint is a working proof and exhibits misregistration. There is significant wear around the paper edges, which can be concealed with a window mount. The image itself remains in beautiful condition.

(c) Lin Onus / Copyright Agency