- Art Collection Updates
- Works of Art
- Yvonne Audette, Sun's Rebirth
- G W Bot Hieroglyphs (Requiem)
- Arthur Boyd
- Alexander Boynes: Changing Places
- Robert Boynes, Observer and Observed
- Robert Boynes, Those Lifeless things
- Jan Brown, Magpies
- Hilary Crawford, Sugar Town and other works
- Fred Cress A Hidden Place
- Ray Crooke , The Islanders & Girl at Table
- Ante Dabro Reclining Figure
- Greg Daly Dawn & Dusk
- Neville Dawson: Dr Tom Calma
- Diane Firth, Bimbimbie
- Graham Fransella, Figure in the Sand
- Sally Gabori My Country
- Bernard Hardy, Canberra Series
- Bernard Hardy, Woolwinder
- Libby Hathorn by Myriam Kin-Yee
- Bevan Haywood Final Showdown
- Napanangka Katungka Kutjarr Kunya at Intinti
- Dale Huddleston, Mural
- Michael Johnson Ellamatta Mauve
- Abie Loy Kemarre Bush Medicine Leaf Dreaming
- Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Untitled, Awelye
- Warren Langley, The Collective Memory
- Doug Lawrie, Untitled Round Vase
- Michael Le Grand, Yo-yo.
- Sue Lovegrove: Vanishing #352
- Tim Maguire, Untitled
- Queenie McKenzie Mooloogoor Hills
- Ann Marie McMahon, The Two Walyers
- Sally Morgan The Circle and other works
- Ngoia Pollard Napaltjarii: Water Soakages near Nyrripi
- Walangkura Napanangka Kutungka Napanangka at Papunga
- Trevor Nickolls, Bird
- Sir Sydney Nolan: Night and Desert Landscapes
- Tiger Palpatja Wanampi Tjukurpa
- Ningura Papurrula Women's Ceremonies
- Peter Pedriau, Coverer in Yellow
- Minnie Pwerle, Women's Ceremonies
- William Robinson , Twin Falls
- Darby Jampijimpa Ross: Emu & Water Jukurrpa
- Tom Rowney, Black, White and Grey Merletto Bowl
- William Sandy, Bush Bean Dreaming
- Jörg Schmeisser, Here and Now, Echoes of the Past
- Brian Seidel, Autumn Pond and Tropical Pond
- Michael Taylor, Showers
- Imants Tillers: Home Visitation III
- Freddie Ngarrmaliny Timms, Mud Springs
- Mykal Zschech, various works
- Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono Mural paintings
- David Voigt Ravenhill Gate and other works
- George Gittoes, The Henna Tattoo
- Sydney Nolan: Mask VIII
- Judith Clingan, Shearing Top Naas
- Eris Fleming, Hillside Paddock
- GW Bot, Threnody
- Ante Dabro, Untitled Drawings
- Robin Nelson Drawings
- Colin Jordan, Intruder
- Stan De Teliga, Kydra River
- Dianne Firth, Black Opal
- Jack Featherstone, Alpine Ash Bark Painting
- Karla Dickens Second Skin
- One by Geoffrey Drake-Brockman
- Sculpture 19 by Derek F Wrigley
- Robin White wood cut series
- Graham Eadie,, Various works
- Peter Laverty, Seascape
- Paul Cavell, Postcard Incident
- Frank Hodgkinson, Black Cockatoo
- Brian Hirst Flat form Teal
- Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri Marrawa
- Tommy Watson, Untitled, 2013 & 2016
- Sándor Györfi, Ignaz Semmelweis sculplture
- Jimmy Baker, Kalaya Tjukurpa
- Ian Henderson, Where is your heart and other works
- Maringka Baker: Kalinpil
- David Miller: Inarki
- Robert Hannaford, Jean Blackburn
- Elizabeth Kruger: Blushing Banksias
- David Armfield, Morris's Vineyard
- Cecily Gibson, Untitled Stoneware Bowl
- George Baldessin, Ed25 & Untitled works
- Andrew Sibley, The Trolley Pushers and other works
- Keith Looby, Packaged Landscape
- David Rose- Magpie in Orange Tree
- Unknown artist: Japanese Wedding Kimono
- Salvatore Zofrea, Various Works of Art
- Basil Hadley: Over Under the Trees
- Dacre Henry Deudreath Smyth: Towards Captains Flat
- Nancy Parker, Main Street, Braidwood
- John Coburn, Various Works
- Geoffrey De Groen: Untitled
- Kenneth Jack: Normanton Station
- Elizabeth Rooney: Various Drawings
- Frances Jones: Still life works
- Margaret Olley: Interior
- Colin Moyston: Victoria Line
- Sven Hiroe: Various ceramic works
- Keiko Schmeisser: In the Fold and Stellar Reflections
- Les Blakebrough: In the Long Grass with Claudia Rose
- Anne Greenwood Untitled
- Bea Maddock Square II
- David Lu Spring Melody
- Cedric Flower Cooma Cottage and other works of art
- Sam Herman Red and Yellow Glass Vases
- Graham Kuo Harbour Mist and other Works
- David Schlunke Air
- Gillie and Marc: Love the Last Exhibition
- John Santry, Geese at Hill End
- Arthur Wicks, Stretcher
- Owen Piggott, Rock Platform
- Robert Pengiley, Various Works
- Heather Ellyard, Dust Storm
- Maximillian Feuering, Bellevue Hill Park
- William Fletcher, Banksia
- Richard and Dilys Brecknock, Various works
- Dick Roughsey, Various works
- Fred Jessup, Boats and Shells
- Jean Conron, Flower Study
- Kevin Conner, Self Portrait with Bird and other Works
- Charles Blackman, The Girl with Dark Plaits
- Reg Livermore: Hydrangea
- Frank Knight Red Kangaroo
- Brian Dunlop Various Works
- Dennis Baker, Kimberley
- Ronnie Tjampitinpa: Untitled
- Art Collection Management
- UC Website
- About UC
- Art Collection
- Works of Art
- Robert Boynes, Those Lifeless things
Robert Boynes, Those Lifeless things
Robert Boynes, Those Lifeless Things
The Artist
Robert Boynes (father of Alexander) is a consummate master of both technique and observation. Consisting largely of studies of the human figure located within unspecified urban environments, his work focuses on the anonymity of much contemporary social interaction. Many of Robert’s images incorporate references to cinema, televised news coverage and closed circuit TV footage. Robert transposes this raw material into exhilarating paintings which remind us that modernity is an amlagam of the impersonal forms and colours.
Born in Adelaide, Robert studied at the South Australian School of Art in the early 1960s and began teaching in 1964. He was heard of Painting at the Canberra School of Art for 27 years and is currently Adjunct Associate Professor at the ANU School of Art. Robert has an extensive exhibition history and has had over 60 solo shows across Australia, the UK and USA. His work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia as wells as all Australian State Galleries, Parliament House, Artbank and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
The Work of Art
Following a trip to Los Angeles, Robert Boynes took inspiration in city scapes. These paintings, largely carried out in the 1980s, portray the cityscape as desolate and yet anxious places. Those Lifeless Things depicts what seems to be some standing stones in the foreground and a series of high-rise tower blocks receding into the background. Is this a contrast of the past versus modern life? Ancient versus modern life? Faith and faithless? Are both lifeless? A little more of an incite comes from other paintings Robert Boynes created in the same series. In the National Gallery of Victoria, are two similar works of art. 'In the skin of the lion (1988) and Faith and Empire, Low Tide (1986) . Both have a series of stones or fallen sculptures in the foreground. Both fallen monuments are overlooked by a series of tower blocks in the background.
From the 1990s, Robert Boynes changed tact with his city scape depictions. This time Boynes enters the cities and focuses on the urban street life. This can be seen in 'The Gunnery Crossing, Woolloomooloo' and 'Observer and Observed'. These works are full of action and movement and yet there is a sense of anonymity. The University of Canberra is fortunate to have in its collection a number of works by Robert Boynes that illustrates his styles and carreer.