feel that closely mirrors Robert’s original paintings.
Dark, deadly and dangerous, Robert Oxley’s latest limited edition prints form his predatory new collection, The Dark Knights . Three of the animal kingdom’s rulers are united for a body of work that is borne of natural history and medieval legend. “Most people will know The Dark Knight from Christopher Nolan’s Batman film trilogy,” says Robert, whose art recently appeared on an episode of Channel 4’s Grand Designs . “Its origins come from Arthurian legends, where the black knight is often shown as a villain in contrast to the valiant white knight.” Featuring a lion, tiger and jaguar, the trio of hand-varnished boxed canvasses saw the wildlife painter return to a neon colour palette for his self-described “psychedelic” style. A 2D format with a glossy finish creates a contemporary
He says: “I like the mixture of pop culture and a heraldic, royal meaning. This is what we all think of when we imagine big cats: an animal at the top of the hierarchy, dominating their habitat and serving to balance the environment.” Unlike his most recent works, the artist has concentrated not just on the face of his chosen animal, but its full body. The effect is startling: the predators step out of the darkness and seemingly off the canvas. What the viewer is unable to see is left to their own imagination, which Robert says is part of their allure. He adds: “I wanted to show my cats as neither good nor bad…as a stealthy power that lurks in the shadows, ready to strike its prey.”
R O B E R T O X L E Y
BROWSE COLLECTION ONLINE
RUFIJI
BOXED CANVAS WI TH HAND VARNISH EDI T ION SIZE 295 IMAGE SIZE 91CM X 122CM
£795
“I LIKE USING RIVER NAMES FOR MY CATS BECAUSE RIVERS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE EARTH, CARRYING WATER AND FOOD.” – ROBERT OXLEY
JATUPO
BOXED CANVAS WI TH HAND VARNISH EDI T ION SIZE 295 IMAGE SIZE 91CM X 122CM
£795
CALATHEA BOXED CANVAS WI TH HAND VARNISH EDI T ION SIZE 295 IMAGE SIZE 91CM X 122CM
£795
“At the beginning of lockdown, I fell in love with houseplants,” he reveals. “I think I wanted to bring the outdoors inside. I’ve collected around 40 specimens in various shapes and sizes.” IN THE STUDIO One of Robert’s limited edition prints STEALING THE SHOW
Robert’s studio is filled to the brim with natural history books and reference photography, which he reworks and reimagines for his original paintings. His signature ‘drip’ effect is created by letting paint run down the canvas before building up colour with successively thicker application. This gives his work a hallucinatory feel, echoing the expressionist style of Jackson Pollock. While painting, he listens to music, natural history documentaries and true crime podcasts. Along with his conservation work – which includes donating a piece of artwork to raise money for the Koala Hospital in South Wales after the Australian bushfires – his passion for learning more about the environment feeds into every piece he paints. His three newest works are named after rivers, while he also developed a new passion for flora during the recent COVID-19 crisis.
took centre stage on the colossal chimney breast of a cathedral-style Lincolnshire home in a January 2021 episode of Grand Designs – proving contemporary art can suit any décor. He says: “It’s so fantastic that my art was on Channel 4, especially as it’s in someone’s home – so it means a lot to them, and this means a lot to me. I even went out and bought a new television!”
ROBERT OXLEY PLAYLIST
“I WANTED TO SHOW MY CATS AS NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD…AS A STEALTHY POWER THAT LURKS IN THE SHADOWS, READY TO STRIKE ITS PREY.” – ROBERT OXLEY
THE DARK KNIGHTS SET OF THREE EDI T IONS £2,150
The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection. To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. © Washington Green 2021. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission.
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