DAVID PLATTS
PAINTER | PRINT MAKER
David was always reluctant to talk about his work as he believed very strongly that the work should speak for itself. It should be approached with an open mind uncluttered by any preconceptions or wordy explanations. These can often get in the way and prevent the viewer from experiencing the work at first hand with an open heart, so that its magic and metaphysical nature can sing freely to the receptive soul. Platts, a Queer Artist was profoundly contemplative and metaphoric. Industrial coach enamels and household paints (which first made their appearance in his work in the 1960’s) are used alongside the more traditional media of watercolour, gouache, oil and acrylic.
He worked from a premise of “an order in space” and every stage of the making of the artifact was meticulously controlled. The motif of either single or multiple fully interlocking shapes is developed with numerous permutations and combinations and nothing is left to chance – the “accident” has no role to play in his work. The picture plane, its boundaries and surround are considered as a whole: the frame is conceived as an integral part of each painting, the image sometimes growing organically beyond the generally accepted boundaries of the picture surface onto the frame. Through colour, line, form and texture David Platts expresses profound degrees of feeling, the scale and intensity of which vary in nature as a sonata may vary from a symphony.
Artist: David Platts
David Platts was an artist whose extraordinary versatility transcended traditional boundaries. Equally accomplished in painting, printmaking, sculpture, textile design, ceramics, and glasswork, his six-decade career is a testament to a lifelong pursuit of creative innovation. Platts’ work reflects a restless imagination and a mastery of diverse mediums, leaving a lasting impact on the art world.
Strawberry No. 5 is part of a significant 30-piece series of large-scale strawberry works created between 1969 and 1972. As one of the earliest pieces in the collection, it captures the spirit and simplicity of the pop art movement’s golden era. Though restrained in both colour and execution, its bold, minimalist style laid the foundation for what would become one of David’s most iconic and celebrated bodies of work, later evolving into increasingly vibrant and intricate expressions.
This particular piece was never publicly exhibited. It was acquired directly from the artist’s studio by a close friend and remained in their private collection for 5 decades until now. We are honoured to now bring Strawberry No. 5 into the public eye and to help guide it to its next rightful home.
Acrylic On Canvas.
Original Painting, Comes Unframed.
Size: 162 x 162cm