Small Man’s Problems Robert McLeod
Mar 24, 2016
Small Man’s Problems
Robert McLeod
44 Roslyn Gardens, Elizabeth Bay, NSW 2011.
+61 2 8353 3500 / +61 2 439 776 655
10th October - 3rd November 2012
ROBERT MCLEODRob McLeod is a painter based in Wellington, New Zealand, where he has lived now for 40 years. Originally from Glasgow,
he came down south in search of new horizons in 1972, and has never left.
His exuberant cartoon-based figures of stressed office workers, mummies, mutant Mickeys, banshees and ogres, seem to
literally leap off the walls, trespassing into the viewer’s space. Not restricted by the parameters of a frame, McLeod’s creatures
are cut out of marine plywood. Crossing into the domain of installation and sculpture, they can be propped against walls,
occupy corners of rooms and thereby provide endless visual hooks.
These are paintings set on testing boundaries, more particularly the line between repulsion and fascination. The limits of
painting and its relationship with the viewer are continually challenged. Wildly idiosyncratic yet formally and conceptually
complex, these paintings confound and unsettle. They taunt their audience to look and think again, to work or laugh harder.
As McLeod explains “The cartoon-inspired characters are familiar and initially endearing. They are sometimes benign and
harmless but more often aggressive and with a dark underside. They can be unpleasant and violent but, as in a cartoon,
nobody stays hurt or feels real pain. This is a painted reality. Everyone recovers.”
McLeod constantly extends the experience of painting as something to be both made and encountered. He challenges the way
painting can operate in and on the contemporary world, and its relationship to other media like sculpture, installation and
video. McLeod argues that to remain relevant painting must force active viewing rather than passive contemplation. Painting
‘needs to do more than sit quietly on the wall’. It must meet its audience on other terms, in other ways, while always remaining
resolutely painting.
Trained at Glasgow School of Art, McLeod graduated with a Diploma of Art, Drawing and Painting in 1969. After leaving art
school, he moved into abstraction, which continued well into the late nineties. It wasn’t until 1999 that figuration started
reappearing in his work. By 2002 all his painting was completely figurative. From this point on, McLeod slowly developed his
pastiche of vaudeville-meets-Looney Tunes characters with an overlay of imagery from his early life in Glasgow.
An extensive exhibition history that dates from 1985, he has been the recipient of several art awards. His work is included in
several significant private collections including the James Wallace Collection, Auckland as well as several institutions such as
the Te Papa Museum in Wellington and The Auckland City Gallery, Auckland. This is McLeod’s first exhibition with Michael
Reid at Elizabeth Bay.
LIST OF ARTWORKS
Small Man Alone, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply98 x 56cm
Small Man Hiding a Problem, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply105 x 62cm
Small Man Rejecting a Past, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply105 x 83cm
Small Man Running away from a Problem, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply99 x 96cm
Small Man Saved, 2012Oil and enamel on marine ply95 x 90cm
Small Man’s Pleasures, 2012Oil and enamel on marine ply136 x 60cm
Three Sketches for Small Man Stressed, 2012Oil and enamel on marine ply88.5 x 25cm / 81.5 x 20cm / 87.5 x 30cm
The Three Graces, 2011Oil and enamel on marine plyEach figure measuring 290 x 60cm
Small Man Alone, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply
98 x 56cm
Small Man Hiding a Problem, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply
105 x 62cm
Small Man Rejecting a Past, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply
105 x 83cm
Small Man Running away from a Problem, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply
99 x 96cm
Small Man Saved, 2012Oil and enamel on marine ply
95 x 90cm
Small Man’s Pleasures, 2012Oil and enamel on marine ply
136 x 60cm
Three Sketches for Small Man Stressed, 2012Oil and enamel on marine ply
88.5 x 25cm / 81.5 x 20cm / 87.5 x 30cm
The Three Graces, 2011Oil and enamel on marine ply
Each figure measuring 290 x 60cm
ROBERT MCLEODBorn Glasgow 1948Glasgow School of Art, 1965 – 1969 Diploma of Art, Drawing and Painting Arrived New Zealand 1972
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Michael Reid at Elizabeth Bay, Sydney
City Gallery, Wellington. Supporting Partick Thistle, Paintings, Rob McLeod
Tauranga Art Gallery, Mixing Different Heavens
Bath Street Gallery, Auckland. The 3 Graces Struggle With The Goochi Handbag
Auckland Art Fair. Proud To Commit Commercial Suicide. With Paulnache Gallery, Gisborne
Paulnache, Gisborne. Small Men, Imperialists, Impostors Imperialists and Banshees
Beatty Gallery at Mary Place, Sydney, Imperialists, Impostors, Banshees and Small Stories
Bath Street Gallery, Auckland. Large Paintings
The Pencil Gallery, Gisborne. The Not Poussin Paintings
Campbell Grant Gallery, Christchurch. Pages From The DMB
Dunedin Public Art Gallery. No Stop, No Pause, No Fast Forward
Edmiston Duke Gallery, Auckland. Giving Colour to Mister Serious and Other Works
Expressions Arts Centre, Upper Hutt, The Rob McLeod Show (Mickey Paintings)
Eastern Southland Gallery, Gore. No stop, No Pause, No Fast Forward
Judith Anderson Gallery, Hawkes Bay. Paintings, 1995 to 2005
Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill. No Stop, No Pause, No Fast Forward
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
The Pencil Gallery, Gisborne. To Mickey
Campbell Grant Gallery, Christchurch. Large Paintings
Edmiston Duke Gallery, Auckland. Talking About Art and Other Small Paintings
Bowen Galleries, Wellington. True Kiwi Content and Puppet Games
Campbell Grant Gallery, Christchurch. Thin Culture and Other Painting
Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland. Pointless Political Piece and Other Paintings
Pataka Museum, Porirua, A Long Way Home: Three Decades Of Painting
Ashburton Art Gallery, Ashburton. Meet Mutant Mickey
Bowen Galleries, Wellington, Small Mickey Paintings
Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland. Meet Rapunzel, Mutant Mickey, Joseph and Other Large Paintings
Bowen Galleries, Wellington, Meet Mutant Mickey
Campbell Grant Gallery, Christchurch, Small Shelf Paintings
University of Canterbury, Fine Arts Gallery, Large Shelf Paintings
Bowen Galleries, Wellington, Paintings Large and Small
Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland, Paintings
Campbell Grant Gallery, Christchurch, New Works
Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui, The Objects, the Game and the Life: a Survey Show, 1972-97
Bowen Galleries, Wellington. The Doctor’s Dog, Visitors, Dead Cowboys and other Paintings
Bowen Galleries, Wellington, Small Paintings
Hawkes Bay Exhibition Centre, Shaped Paintings
Bowen Galleries, Wellington, Paintings
New Work Studio, Wellington, New Works
1993
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1981
1980
1979
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, Minimalist Paintings 1981-1982
New Work Studio, Wellington Small Shaped Paintings
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland Large Drawings
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland Shaped Paintings
CSA Gallery, Christchurch, High School Exercise Drawings
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland Domestic Flavours Paintings, Two Large Floor Works and High School Exercise
Drawings
Gregory Flint Gallery, Wellington, New and Old Paintings
Louise Beale Gallery, Wellington, Domestic Flavours Paintings
Louise Beale Gallery, Wellington, Small Paintings 1972-82
Artis Gallery, Auckland. Buchanan Paintings
Artis Gallery, Auckland. Paintings and Drawings (Shaped Minimalist Paintings. Lanark Drawings)
Louise Beale Gallery, Wellington Lanark Drawing.
Red Metro Gallery, Auckland Lanark Drawings
Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt Paintings and Drawings (Shaped Minimalist Paintings, Lanark Drawings)
Louise Beale Gallery, Wellington, Stiff Jumble Paintings
Louise Beale Gallery, Wellington, Lanark Drawings
City Art Gallery, Wellington, Paintings and Drawing, 1972-81
Petar James Gallery, Auckland, Minimalist Paintings
Petar James Gallery, Auckland, Splatter Paintings
Elva Bett Gallery, Wellington, Splatter Paintings
1979
1978
1977
1974
2011
2005
2004
2000
1997
1995
1994
1990
1987
Petar James Gallery, Auckland, Splatter Paintings
Elva Bett Gallery, Wellington, Splatter Paintings
Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, Paintings 1974-77
Peter Webb Galleries, Auckland, Grids
Elva Bett Gallery, Wellington, Grids and Tartans
Antipodes Gallery, Wellington, Paintings
Smallworks Gallery, Brisbane, Looksee
Wallace Art Award, Touring Exhibition
Wallace Art Award, Touring Exhibition
Pataka Museum of Art and Cultures (touring), Representation and Reality
Pataka Museum of Art and Cultures, Think Colour
Te Papa, Collectors Choice
Page 90, Porirua, Common Ground: 10 Male Artists
Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, More than a Floor
Wellington City Art Gallery, Local Colour
Wellington City Arts Festival, Strange New Land
CSA Gallery, Christchurch, Hogging the Floor
Wellington City Art Gallery, Off the Wall
Selected Group Shows
2006 Mataura Licensing Trust 50th Anniversary Inaugural Artist In Residence
Te Papa, Wellington
Pataka Museum of Art and Cultures, Porirua.
The Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland
The Robert McDougall Gallery, Christchurch
The Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui
Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North.
Dowse Art Gallery, Lower Hutt.
The Bath House, Rotorua.
Victoria University, Wellington.
Wellington College of Education, Wellington.
1987
1986
1985
1978
1976
1975
1973
Wellington City Art Gallery, Drawing Analogies
National Art Gallery, Shed 11, Wellington, Content/Context
Stephen Mori Gallery, Sydney, Perspecta
Dowse Art Gallery, Lower Hutt, Three Painters
Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand Drawing
Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, Four Wellington Artists
Barrington Gallery, Auckland Figurative Art Now
New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, Eight Young Artists
Artist Residencies
Collections
••••••••••
2005
2004
1998
1981
1978
1977
Runner up Prize, Wallace Art Awards
Jury Prize, Wallace Art Awards
Lillian Ida-Smith Award for Painting
QEII Arts Council Grant
Rotorua Art Award
QEII Arts Council Grant
Christchurch College of Education, Christchurch.
Christchurch Institute of Technology, Christchurch.
James Wallace Collection, Auckland.
The Real Art Roadshow.
Awards
••••
Selected Bibliography
Dan Chappell, Figuring it all out, pp.72-75 (illus) Art News NZ, Summer 2011
Process. Robert McLeod, Artist Profile, Australia Issue 17 2011. pp 122-123. (illus)
Dandini Comes Clean. Ed. Aaron Lister (2011) published Paulnache
Aaron Lister (2004) Robert McLeod, Travelling With The Happy Worm. Art New Zealand No 109, pp.66-69
Preview. Process. Robert McLeod. Artist Profile. Issue 17, 2011, p122-123.
Dan Chappell. Organised chaos in the exuberant paintings of Rob McLeod. Art News New Zealand. Summer 2011
Dandini Comes Clean.Paintings by Robert McLeod (2011). Edited, Aaron Lister PAULNACHE publishing
An Orange In A Fried Fish Shop: Paintings by Robert McLeod (2003) Essay, Aaron Lister: published Craig Potton Ltd.
Katy Corner Postcards p 26 (illus) Art News New Zealand, Spring 2002
A Long Way Home: Rob McLeod. (2002). Catalogue essay, H. Kedgley; published by Pataka Museum of Art and Cultures
Think Colour. (2000). Catalogue essay, J. Mane-Wheoki; published by Pataka Museum of Art and Cultures
Allan Smith. (1998) Robert McLeod and the Giggler in the Wood (illus). Art New Zealand, No 85, pp.37-41
The Objects, the Game and the Life: A Survey Show (1997). Catalogue essay, M. Scaife; published by Sarjeant Gallery
Local Colour (1995) Catalogue essay, A. Smith; published by Wellington City Art Gallery
Warwick Brown (1995) One Hundred New Zealand Paintings, Auckland: Godwit.
Allan Smith (1990) Ways to do More and More (illus). Art New Zealand, No 56, pp.70- 74
Susan Foster (1988) Robert McLeod: An Interview (illus). Art New Zealand, No 46, pp.64-67
Soft Paradigms (1987) Catalogue essay, I. Wedde; published by Wellington City Art Gallery.
The Grid: Lattice and Network (1987) Catalogue essay, A. Bogle; published by Auckland City Art Gallery.
Content/Context: A Survey of Recent New Zealand Art (1986) Catalogue essay, L. Bieringa: published by National Art
Gallery
Elva Bett (1986) New Zealand Art: A Modern Perspective. Auckland: Reed and Methuen
Six New Zealand Artists: Perspecta 85 (1985) Catalogue essay, C. Sotheran: published by Mori Gallery, Sydney
Susan Foster (1985) Wellington Review (illus) Art New Zealand, No 36, p.22
Jim and Mary Barr (1980) Contemporary New Zealand Painters, Martinborough: Alister Taylor
Peter Cape (1979) New Painting since 1960 Auckland: Collins
Neil Rowe (1978) Wellington Review (illus) Art New Zealand, No 11, pp.19, 61
44 Roslyn Gardens, Elizabeth Bay, NSW 2011.
+61 2 8353 3500 / +61 2 439 776 655
ABOUT ROBERT MCLEOD