The human figure has been a frequent subject of Western art since the Renaissance. Artists who feature in this collection question how the human figure can be represented, and it appears in a wide range of expressive styles and media.

In Francis Bacon’s paintings, for example, the figure is presented as a vehicle of distress, pain and torment. William Turnbull, on the other hand, draws on primitive art to render the figure in simple, minimalist form.

The depiction of the figure is also the subject of work by contemporary artists such as Tracey Emin, Humphrey Ocean and Arthur Timothy. 

Image, The Red Chair 2022 © Arthur Timothy. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage. Photo: Erica Timothy.