Drawn to the woodcuts prints of late 19th century Edvard Munch (the artist best known for ‘The Scream’), Japanese artist Shiko Munakata and the work of William Blake, John Ryrie has established himself as an adept storyteller through the medium of printmaking.

In ‘Sea-Maiden II’, he presents an intriguing scene. Across a striped couch lies a mermaid, poised for capture; an artist paints her, substituting her tail for two legs. Half-woman, half-fish creatures recur throughout many cultures' mythologies, often symbolising the duality of the ocean – beautiful and deadly – and of women themselves. Why has this artist replaced his subject’s tail with legs, is he under a spell or is she?

Ryrie is an esteemed printmaker. He was awarded the Grand Prize in the Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints and a finalist in the Geelong acquisitive print awards, and is represented at the National Gallery of Australia. For collectors of contemporary prints and visual storytelling, ‘Sea-Maiden II’ is a wonderful work.

John RYRIE (1961 - )
'Sea-Maiden II' 2017
linocut on paper
Edition of 66
Image Size: 23 x 16 cm
Dimensions: 28 x 19 cm
Signed: Signed 'John Ryrie', editioned, titled, dated under image
Comes with Letter of Provenance
Condition:Excellent
(c) John Ryrie / Copyright Agency