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Joan Letcher |
Lives and works in Melbourne
Prahran Institute of Technology, Diploma of Fine Arts
Joan Letcher's practice revolves around image-making with photocopying and collage; " …at the center stage of Joan's studio is her photocopier. …she builds her paintings on images that catch her eye, from TV, newspapers, magazines, then reshapes them with scissors, then into the photo copier, reducing, enlarging….The unique thing is that Joan paints with pictures rather than with paint. Eventually though, the image is painted onto canvas, collage material playing a major part of the overall
product" * Bob Hart, 'Paper Tiger' The Herald Sun, Feb 4, 1995
Charles Green has written of Letcher's particular combination of mystery and seeming simplicity which make her work so captivating;
"Letcher's universe is surreal, like that of early Max Ernst. The politics of her paintings though alluding to topical political issues avoid didacticism precisely because of their quite sophisticated and contrary amateurism. Her collage combinations never achieve a seamless unity since they are hardly the point of focus of her work. …No matter how much she fills space with strange figures or clutters background with decorative detail, her figures end up frozen. This only adds to strength of her
message" * Charles Green 'Joan Letcher' ArtForum Magazine.
Letcher has had 8 solo exhibitions to date since 1987, including "The Pill" (2000) at Helen Gory Galerie. Her work is represented in a number of significant private and public collections including, 101 Collins Street Collection (Melbourne), Artbank (Sydney), Australian National Gallery (Canberra), Gold Coast City Art Collection (Surfers Paradise, Queensland), Horsham Art Gallery (Victoria), National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne).
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