Description

In General

‘Death by Glitter Ball’ is an original oil painting dated 2002 by Derek Carruthers (1935-2021) – a prolific and renowned British Post War and Contemporary artist who was born in 1935.  This dramatic and humorous original oil painting shows a featureless lay figure or artists’ wooden model of a human being – being squashed by a gigantic 2D glitterball at a disco! The bespoke frame has been hand painted by the artist in a slightly distressed style which works well with the style of the painting.

Similarities can be drawn with the famous disco hit ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ (2001) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor where she sabotages a dance competition for her own gain.  Poisoning fellow contestants and flirting with the judges whilst singing the lyrics with a wink, its hilarious in its horror undertones.

Derek Carruthers’s work has been offered at auction multiple times.  The record price for this artist at auction is £8217.14 for ‘Composition’ sold at Lyon & Turnball – London in 2021.

Carruthers was born in Penrith, Cumbria in 1935.  Between 1953 and 1957, he studied (1953-1957) at the Fine Art Department of Kings College Durham University, under Victor Pasmore (1908-1998) CH, CBE the famous British artist and architect and leader in the abstract art movement in the 20th century.

Carruthers taught at Sunderland College of Art (1957 to 1964), Leicester College of Art (1964 to 1973) and at Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham where, as Professor of Fine Art (1973-1988), he pursued painting full time from 1988.

He was an artist constantly asking questions about the nature of art, examining its purpose and the place where the artist’s mind meets the external appearance of the world.  He explored the language of pure form, abstract space, 2 and 3 dimensions. narrative and concept, and personal and universal figuration.  He was also fascinated with the human condition and how each individual experiences the world.  Later in his career, Derek Carruthers used lay figures (artists’ wooden models of human beings) in his art.  He liked the ‘sexless, ageless, raceless anonymity’ of the artist’s lay figures.  He said:

‘I was given an antique artist’s lay figure and acquired several smaller faceless wooden lay figures.  I knew Man Ray’s “Mr. and Mrs. Woodman” series of photographs and enjoyed the irony and humour.  So began the series of figure compositions which seem to sustain themselves as symbol and metaphor for aspects of the human condition.’

He used lay figures in his art from the early 1990s.  They may be placed in a 2D space such as in this painting or they may be flat, insubstantial figures.  The figures may be shown in large groups or maybe isolated as in this painting.  The figures are always featureless and can be translated as an ironic humorous comment on life.  Sometimes the figures represented profound humanity or sometimes in a more challenging and chilling way representing Orwellian tokens of humanity.

Derek Carruthers had many solo exhibitions including:

Univision Gallery, Newcastle (1957) Mobile Constructions on the Theme of Interfusion

Drian Gallery, London (1963), Artisan: Paintings by Derek Carruthers

Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal (1980)

Derek Carruthers: Exhibition of Painting (1985-1988)

Bonington Gallery, Nottingham (1988)

Groups exhibitions include:

Abstracts, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle (1954);

Art, Machine and Environment – a Durham University Fine Art Department exhibition held at the Laing Art Gallery (1958).  Other exhibitors to this exhibition, organised by Victor Pasmore, included Barbara Hepworth, Robin Day, Richard Hamilton, Terry Frost, Ben Nicholson and Paul Feiler. Carruthers exhibited three works – Relief (No.17), Mobile (No.18) and Space construction (No.21).

26 Young Sculptors, ICA, London (1961)

Construction England, (1963), a touring exhibition (England and Wales) organised by Arts Council of Great Britain.  Construction England was an extension of the hugely successful touring (USA and Canada) exhibition, British Constructivist Art (1961-1962) when it returned home to the UK. British Constructivist Art exhibiting artists were Stephen Gilbert, Anthony Hill, Kenneth Martin, Mary Martin, Victor Pasmore, and American-born John Ernest.  Alongside Carruthers, the additional Construction England artists were Maurice Agis, Scott Campbell, John Ernest, Garth Evans, Colin Jones, Peter Lowe, Matt Rugg and Gillian Wise.

Geometric Environment A.I.A Gallery, London (1962)

British Abstract Art of the 50s and 60s, Belgrave Gallery, London (1992)

His work is held in a number of public collections including Leeds Art Gallery, Leicester University, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery Bradford, and the Arts Council Collection at the Southbank Centre, London.

Year

2002.

Signed and Dated

Signed Derek Carruthers and dated 2002 – written in pen on the reverse.

Material

Original oil painting on a canvas stretched across a wooden frame.

Condition

The painting and frame are in very good condition.  The bespoke frame has been hand painted by the artist in a slightly distressed style which works well with the style of the painting.  There are paint marks on the reverse of the canvas.  Please see photographs.

Dimensions ( L x W x H )

Frame Dimensions: 68.5 cm x 10cm x 68.5 cm or 26.96 inches x 3.93 inches x 26.96 inches

Painting Dimensions : TBC

Weight

To be confirmed.

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