Tony Durke – “Realpolitik” – July 1-29, 2018

Art, in its many forms, challenges us to think about our world in new ways, sometimes engaging, sometimes enraging. These days it feels as if making art is survival, poring over slabs of wood while listening to what is and what should never be on the TV and radio. It worries but inspires, so it is all a double edged sword. As much positive energy that can be mustered is put into each piece, regardless of subject matter. Tony Durke’s goal is to spread some beauty around the world and at the same time be provocative, using only shapes, colour, and texture to describe a certain feeling or event. 

The wood used in Tony Durke’s art is mostly recycled or up-cycled, sourced from telephone poles, scraps from cut blocks, discarded sets from the film industry, and the lumber yard. His preference is to repurpose wood and paint that has already completed a phase of its life. Durke assembles his compositions using an Olfa blade and sandpaper, and applies pastels, spray paint, pens, oil, and acrylics. Durke works to maintain the integrity of the raw wood, celebrating its past and present forms.

Realpolitik– “ The study of the forces that shape, maintain and alter the state is the basis of all political insight and leads to the understanding that the law of power governs the world of states just as the law of gravity governs the physical world.”

Tony Durke was born in Victoria BC in 1973, and grew up in Campbell River. In high school, Durke began commercial fishing, and then entered the forest industry. He later attended Canadian College in Victoria to study film arts. Duke has been working in film for 18 years, now specializing in art direction, which is a profession that involves colour, texture, and the entire design of the film. In his studio practice, Durke’s medium of choice is oil and mixed media on carved wood, and has explored this style of working for about 10 years. Durke now lives and works in New Westminster.