Bill Hay: Coloured Mud

7th– 21st September 2019

For many years now, Bill Hay has referred to the act of Painting as “pushing coloured mud around with a hairy stick,” and in so doing he directs our attention to his belief that painting is such an age old process, preceding codified or structured language and very much a precursor to the symbols which would later develop into written words.

The highly sophisticated ancient paintings, which fortunately remain on rock walls here in Australia and in many other parts of the world, are a gratifying reminder that very many amongst us remain hard wired, not only to making, but also to appreciating this deep-seated form of communication and personal expression.

The paintings and prints, to be shown at Four Eight Four during September, have their origins in abstract forms, prior to evolving and developing into much more recognisable elements and these finished works testify to Bill’s fascination with colour and the mesmeric, almost hypnotic process of mixing either paint or ink.