Peter Corlett
Sue
On his return to Melbourne in the early 1980's after a period as
artist-in-residence at the University of Exeter (1979-1980),
sculptor Peter Corlett continued to explore the ideas of producing
lifesized portraits in resin. As Corlett stated at the time "Not
all are portraits which glorify, nor ones which are overly
analytical; they are just gentle 'warts and all' portraits but
closely observed."
Sue, modelled on the artist's former wife, was one of a
series of 13 nudes exhibited by Corlett at Realities Gallery in
1984. The figure is posed with one arm hanging down and the other
bent at the elbow so that her hand rests confidently on her hip.
The expression on her face is an open one that gives the impression
that it is perfectly natural for the viewer to be encountering her
en deshabillé. She is not completely nude however; somewhat
capriciously Sue is wearing a pair of high heels that emphasise the
tension in her carefully balanced body.