Women by Hanly brings together over twenty works from the artists, public and private collections.
Born in Palmerston North, Hanly began his artistic career by studying painting at nightclasses. By 1952 he was attending the Canterbury School of Fine Arts. After completing his schooling he went to London to live.
In 1960 he was awarded an Italian Government Scholarship and painted his Showgirl series in Florence, two of which are featured in this exhibition.
In 1962 Hanly returned to New Zealand and two years later received a QEII Arts Council Grant. A three times finalist in the prestigious Benson and Hedges Art Award, Hanly had his first major retrospective exhibition in 1974.
This exhibition differs from his other retrospectives in so far that Hanly has chosen to focus on a very specific area of his enormous output. As a self described ‘veteran male artist’ he has chosen to explore the treatment of women as a subject in his painting.
Hanly likes to paint women for their shape. In his own words, ‘the shapes and lines of women are more expressive of the humanity element.’ Men he adds ‘...are too square.’
As one of New Zealand’s foremost and respected artists this exhibition provides an opportunity to focus on the development of his career through this fascinating aspect of his work.
Press
→ The essence of Hanly, New Zealand Herald, 07-02-1989
→ Artist explores feminine themes, Eastern Courier, 08-02-1989
→ Auckland artist exhibits locally, Howick and Pakuranga Times, 28-01-1989
Ephemera
→ Women By Hanly: Survey 1959-1988, 1989, exhibition card