Harold Town (1924-1990) is renowned across Canada for his eclectic and dynamic body of work.
In the 1950s, Town established his reputation with a series of abstract monotypes (called "Single Autographic Prints"). He would exhibit these works at the Venice Biennale to great fanfare in Europe and at home. By the 1960s, he was considered the most famous artist in Canada.
As an artist he fearlessly experimented with different media and aesthetics - consider how different his "Toy Horse" is from his "Single Autographic Prints" or even his "Pop Star/Icon" works. In every decade, Town would switch gears and embark on new series with courage and conviction.
Town's "Park" series, created between 1970 and 1973, marked a pivotal moment in his abstract painting, although met with mixed reviews. Unlike preceding bodies of work, such as Town's "Silent Light" and "Stretch" series, the "Park" canvases embraced a much more fluid and painterly approach. Perhaps most significantly these paintings are a return to a more spontaneous approach resulting in paintings with great impasto and variety of textures and surfaces.
This distinct body of work was inspired by the artist's appreciation of private and public parks - and distaste for industrial landscapes. Citing international gems like Central Park and Monet's Garden, Town was increasingly drawn to nature's enchantment. Fittingly, Toronto's Harold Town Conservation Area is now dedicated to the artist's legacy.
"Park #52" is an outstanding work from one of the artist's most fascinating series.
In this work, a sprawling bright lime backdrop is host to a series of flat, irregular shapes rendered in vibrant shades of moss green, tangerine, black, and slate. The two-dimensional plane is juxtaposed by a thick, prismatic impasto that runs through the center of the canvas, accentuating the organic contours of the composition.
Today, Town's work is represented in prestigious collections across North America including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), and the Guggenheim (New York).
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"Park #52"
Canada, 1972-1973
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated by the artist, bottom right and verso
23"H 18"W (work)
Very good condition.
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