The Fourth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

Howard Taylor in his Northcliffe studio, 1994 Photograph: Richard Woldendorp Still-life with black figure 1994 Synthetic polymer and oil on canvas 92 x 152cm Collection: Howard HTaylor Estate, Perth Courtesy: Galerie DOsseldorf, Perth Photograph: John Austin 106 APT2002 It takes courage to look directly at the sun, especially at the consuming depth of Australian sunlight. As Mary Eagle has pointed out, most of us have dared at least once and found that the intensity of the light creates a blank central disc, an 'after-image, difficult to dislodge, which throws its coloured circle into everything we see.'' Howard Taylor held his gaze steady, even w hile acknowledging how difficult it is to let the eye focus at rest. He used an extended preparatory process and gradually restricted his palette to restrained, almost neutral monochromes, in pursuit of signature works so highly abstracted and ambiguous that they take on the potency of the symbolic. Here is Taylor on his triptych Light figure 1992: There are two pigments only with white ... the transparency, translucency and opacity come to full play. Light figure results from a continuing interest in light sources, the sun, light projections.' This is not the kind of art that would satisfy the celebrated museum-goer w ho supposedly spends an average two seconds contemplating an exhibit. Taylor seeks to extend that viewer's response time. The paintings do not reveal themselves easily. We have to look hard; and the harder we look, the better are our chances of breaking through old conceptual habits and achieving the fresh, accurate vision Taylor has developed. We are led deeper and deeper into the pictures, our eyes straining for form and shape.