Wikipedia

Philip Clairmont

Philip Anthony Clairmont (1949–1984)[1] was a New Zealand painter.

Philip Clairmont
Philip Clairmont in his Waikanae studio, 1975
Born
Philip Anthony Clairmont

1949
Nelson, New Zealand
Died1984(1984-00-00) (aged 34–35)
Auckland, New Zealand
EducationCanterbury School of Fine Arts
Known forPainting
MovementExpressionism

Biography

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Clairmont was born to Thelma and Rex Haines on 15 September 1949 in Nelson and named Philip Rex Haines. After his parents separated, his mother changed the family name in 1967 and he became Philip Anthony Clairmont.[2][3] He attended Nelson College from 1963 to 1966.[4] He studied in Christchurch under artists Rudolf Gopas and Doris Lusk, graduating from the Canterbury School of Fine Arts in 1970.[5]

In 1969 he married Viki Hansen, in a wedding filmed by a local television station as an example of a 'hippie wedding', and their daughter Melissa was born the same year.[2]

In 1973 he received a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council grant and the family moved to Waikanae north of Wellington and four years later to 39 Roy Street in Wellington. Clairmont’s final move was to Auckland in 1977.[6] In 1979 he had another child, this time with his partner Rachel Power, a son named Orlando.

Clairmont's work was informed by the works of Vincent van Gogh and Francis Bacon, and was also influenced by his close relationship with fellow New Zealand artists Tony Fomison and Allen Maddox.[7] His work is usually classed as expressionist or neo-expressionist because of the use of strong colours and distorted forms, often with domestic interiors as subject matter. His early work tends to be focussed and detailed. During his final decade his work had a tendency to become looser and less intense.

Clairmont epitomised the stereotypical bohemian artist lifestyle and felt himself that this form of life was necessary for him to regard himself as an authentic artist. Clairmont and Hansen divorced in 1983, and argued over matrimonial property. Police were called after an incident and Clairmont was arrested. He committed suicide three days later in Auckland in 1984, at the age of 34.[1][2]

Exhibitions

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36 Roy Street, 2024

In total Clairmont had 26 solo exhibitions. The first was at Several Arts in Christchurch in 1970 while still at art school.[8] In 1972 Clairmont was invited to join The Group and exhibited Fireplace,[9] part of a large mural painted for the Christchurch nightclub 5 Jellies in 1971. When the club burnt down the painting had been rescued and later cut into three panels Fireplace, Lampshade[10] and Couch, Chair and Ashtray.[11] Clairmont showed with The Group on a number of occasions and in 1977 he sent Staircase Triptych 36 Roy Street[12] painted in his Wellington home and studio to include in the final Group Show, The Group & the Last.[13]

From 1972 on Clairmont was represented by dealer galleries in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland including Bett-Duncan Gallery, New Vision Gallery and later Peter Webb Galleries, Denis Cohn Gallery and Auckland’s Closet Artists Gallery.[8] In the early seventies he exhibited many of his works in series, in particular Mirrors[14] in 1974 and Wardrobes[15] in 1976.

Clairmont was also admired for his drawing and print-making abilities and most exhibitions included prints and drawings included. At the beginning of Part 2 of Bruce Morrison’s film referenced below you can see Clairmont inking and pulling a print of Large Still Life with Objects.[16]

In 1984, shortly after his death, Clairmont featured in the exhibition Anxious Images: Aspects of New Zealand Art[17] curated by Alexa Johnson for the Auckland City Art Gallery. In 1987, a survey show of Clairmont’s work was organised by the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui and toured New Zealand.[18]

Selected works

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  • Lampshade 1971 view
  • Portrait of a Washbasin, Blood in a Washbasin 1971 view
  • Fireplace 1972 view
  • Self Portrait 1975 view
  • Staircase Triptych 36 Roy Street 1977 view
  • The scarred couch: the Auckland experience 1978 view
  • Bending Female Figure, Washbasin and Mirror 1980 view

Further reading

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The resurrection of Philip Clairmont,[19] a biography of Clairmont written by Martin Edmond in 1990 and published by the Auckland University Press, was a finalist in the 2000 Montana New Zealand Book Awards.

Archive media

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In 1981 TVNZ made a two-part documentary profiling Clairmont. Director Bruce Morrison filmed Clairmont in his Mount Eden residence in Auckland. This documentary is freely available to view online.[20]

The Cultural Icons series includes a video interview by Hamish Keith of Martin Edmond, Clairmont’s biographer. It can be viewed online.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (2005). Treasures from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Te Papa Press. p. 76. ISBN 1-877385-12-3.
  2. ^ a b c Herkt, David (November 2024). "Burning Bright". North & South. pp. 61–65.
  3. ^ Mckenzie-Minifie, Martha (20 October 2007). "Uncovering Secrets of a Father's Life". NZ Herald.
  4. ^ Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006, 6th edition
  5. ^ Clairmont, Philip (1970). An exercise in perception (Diploma thesis). UC Research Repository, University of Canterbury. doi:10.26021/4220. hdl:10092/964.
  6. ^ Pound, Francis (1985). 40 Modern New Zealand Paintings. Penguin Books. ISBN 0140082468.
  7. ^ Keith, H. (2007) The big picture: A history of New Zealand art from 1642. Auckland: Godwit.
  8. ^ a b Clairmont, Philip (1987). Philip Clairmont. Jim Barr, Mary Barr, Sarjeant Gallery. Wanganui, N.Z.: Sarjeant Gallery. pp. 70–73. ISBN 0-9597839-0-3. OCLC 20393828.
  9. ^ "Philip Clairmont's Fireplace 1971".
  10. ^ "Lampshade". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  11. ^ Art Toi : New Zealand art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Ron Brownson, Auckland Art Gallery. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki. 2011. pp. 228–229. ISBN 978-0-86463-279-1. OCLC 747234104.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. ^ "Staircase Triptych: 36 Roy Street". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  13. ^ "The Group & the Last" (PDF). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Reflections of Night in the Mirrors of the Bedroom". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Wardrobe III". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Philip Clairmont: Large Still Life with Objects". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  17. ^ Anxious images : aspects of recent New Zealand art. Auckland City Art Gallery. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland City Art Gallery. 1984. ISBN 0-86463-112-X. OCLC 18356346.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  18. ^ "Philip Clairmont". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  19. ^ Edmond, Martin (1999). The resurrection of Philip Clairmont. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1-86940-195-6. OCLC 44001765.
  20. ^ Morrison, Bruce. "Profiles - Philip Clairmont". NZ On Screen. 1981, TVNZ. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  21. ^ "Cultural Icons: Philip Clairmont". Retrieved 5 January 2023.
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