Art / “James Drinkwater: At mid-career”. At ANU Drill Hall Gallery. Reviewed by ROB KENNEDY.

JAMES Drinkwater’s artworks are intense and brilliant. Drawing on a vast legacy of art from across the world, there’s a freshness and vibrancy to this survey of his past works.

One look at any of Drinkwater’s art and the expression of someone who is deeply in love with strong visual representation comes through. Curated by the Drill Hall Gallery director, Terence Maloon, he says that Drinkwater has “created a vast galaxy in the mix” of his artworks.

The first thing that hits a viewer in this survey is the power of colour and the strength of his designs. Every abstract and figurative artwork is infused with a direct energy.

Large-scale works outnumber mid and smaller pieces. Several of the figurative paintings have a human form squeezed into the frame. It’s like they want to own the whole canvas. “A day at the races”, 2021, reminded me of the 1943 Sidney Nolan self-portrait. It has a great distended head stretching from edge to edge. It’s a powerful work filled with vibrant colours.

There’s a texture of roughness like a disturbed landscape in almost every work that adds another dimension of fascination. A lot of oil paint is used in each piece. Almost every element, and there are many, intrigue and transfix in Drinkwater’s art. The titles, such as “We are clumsy now on this southern beach II”, 2016, which is a surreal description, and to this painting of measured madness and fun.

The earthy palate of many makes a viewer feel grounded. Among the landscape of hues, there are dollops of thick, heavily saturated colours that grab attention, mainly bright red. Cubist-like forms invade several works. But even in these, there’s so much going on. There’s a world of inner ideas expressed as shape, colour, and form as a unique language.

One thing Drinkwater is not short of is visual ideas. Each work has a unique statement. They tell a compelling and complete story and somewhere within hides or displays the human form.

Pattens reoccur across most paintings. Numbers, words, and designs add to the visual dynamic. They are not random: it’s like a code that enhances the mystery and gravity of each painting. There is much to like in this survey, even if you only glance at or study each one for minutes. With every look, you can see something more, something compelling.