CHARLES E HARDAKER (BRITISH B.1934)
Black obelisk
signed Hardaker (lower left)
signed and titled Still life, black Obelisk (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
92cm x 54cm

PROVENANCE: Exh. Royal Glasgow Inst of Fine Arts. 1967 (label attached verso)

The artist wrote (19 March 1967): ‘it forms part of a series on a theme (or rather, multiple themes) which is still developing and looks like doing so for some time. There are about 10 more on this theme in my place at present. Motives for the paintings in general (as much as one dare to define them I) are architectural and philosophical in that the basically cubic container form has been connected with the cube/earth symbol in Plato’s Timaeus. But also “things as they are” is as important as any intellectual idea so that the paintings retain strong roots in things seen.’

Published in The Tate Gallery Report 1966–1967, London 1967

Notes:

Hardaker studied at Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts, and after completing National Service in 1955 spent three years at the Royal College of Art, London. In 1967 he wrote of this picture: '...it forms part of a series on a theme (or rather multiple themes) which is still developing... Motives for the paintings in general (as much as one dare to define them!) are architectural and philosophical in that the basically cubic container form has been connected with the cube/earth symbol in Plato's Timaeus. But also things as they are is important as any intellectual idea so that the paintings retain strong roots in things seen.

Private London Collection