William Tillyer (British, born 1938)Hammer acrylic on canvas, laid to board in relief76.5 x 91.5cm (30 1/8 x 36 in).Painted in 1992-93Footnotes:ProvenanceWith Bernard Jacobson Gallery, London, 10 June 2010, where acquired by the present ownerPrivate Collection, AustraliaExhibitedLondon, Bernard Jacobson Gallery, William Tillyer: Fearful Symmetries, 5 May-5 June 1993, no. 8, illustratedThe 1993 exhibition at Bernard Jacobsen Gallery in London saw a subtle shift in William Tillyer's output. The series title, Fearful Symmetries, is derived from a score of the same name by the American composer John Adams, who in turn had adopted it from William Blake's poem The Tyger from the collection Songs of Experience, 1794. The concept of two seemingly opposing forces united together is at the crux of Tillyer's work from this series and is especially visible in Hammer, 1992-93. On one side we find the pared down, geometric shapes signifying modern man-made order and artifice: on the other, the gradated washes of colour depicting the organic natural world. Through the jarring juxtaposition of these two elements, we find the ties that connect them, for example the washes of green and blank spaces mirrored on both sides of the composition, showcasing Tillyer's bid to marry these two worlds together on the canvas. One of the key inspirations for Tillyer's work, including this series of relief paintings, is the landscape of his native North Yorkshire. He has spoken in interviews about the way in which the rugged terrain of the region, with its craggy cliffs and deep valleys, has shaped his aesthetic sensibility. This is evident in the forms and textures Tillyer has chosen to use, which often suggest geological formations or natural phenomena such as waterfalls or flora. However, Tillyer's relief paintings are highly abstract, with little or no figurative content. They are fundamentally explorations of colour, form, and texture, in which the physical properties of the materials themselves are as important as the image they create, and it is left to the eye of the viewer to comprehend its subject. Tillyer has spoken about his interest in the way that colour and light interact with each other, and his relief paintings are a compelling means of exploring this relationship in a three-dimensional way.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.

Please note that this work has been examined outside of its frame and under ultraviolet light.
The work has been affixed to a backboard, so inspection of the verso is not possible.
Taking the above into consideration, the work appears to be in excellent original condition.