$6,500.00
$3,800.00
David Manks is a graduate of the National Art School, East Sydney Technical College and City Art Institute (now UNSW) completing his Master of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong.
David has been regularly exhibiting since 1989 being awarded numerous Art prizes with his work being featured regularly in articles and publications. He is a regular Art Award finalist, including in the Mosman Art prize, Camden Art Prize, Fleurieu Art Prize, and Paddington Art Prize.
His work is held in numerous private and public Collections in Australia, Dubai, New Zealand, United Kingdom, China, Netherlands and the US.
Much of David’s work is grounded in the environment surrounding his home in the Illawarra region.
Although his work is regional in character and subject matter, he states his intention is “to express and explore a variety of issues that go beyond a localised context.” He explores the landscape, “often focusing on the sublime.."
Melissa Barnard, Meet an Artist of the Illawarra: David Manks, The Illawarra Flame, Arts & Culture, September 13, 2024..
The majority of my work is based primarily on my local environment within the Illawarra region. It is my intention to create a sense of ‘place’ in my work by reducing and deconstructing the subject matter to give the viewer not just a visual memory but an evocative sense of being there and experiencing that place. This approach to painting has been used in other locations beyond the Illawarra region.
Painting on location provides an opportunity to observe the landscape and at the same time experience the physicality and 'feeling' of a specific place.
I explore the landscape often focusing on the sublime in an attempt to discover truth with respect to location and an ethereal interpretation of place rather than just a pictorial representation.
Tone is the principal structure in the art making process for most of my work. When working tonally an attempt is made to reduce the subject matter to its basic formal structure in order to place emphasis on the atmospheric rather than just the physical aspects of the environment.
The movement between lightness and darkness, the contrasts and the zone between these is a theme frequently explored. The event of daylight diminishing into night has emerged as a recurring theme in my art making. It is this phenomenon that highlights so dramatically our existence and awareness of place.
David Manks.
David is currently working on a new body of work for his first Solo Exhibition at Artsite Contemporary is MAY 2025.
Available Work